Sorry that this took so long. We've had hits and misses and a death in the family. So in a nutshell we've had Darth Real Life or Q-Life happen to us.
But without further ado here's the third chapter! *drum roll* *Fanfare*
The Equinox
xxxxxx
"Did I perform in a suitable manner today in the mess hall?" Seven of Nine asked as she worked at her console in Astrometrics.
"You're getting better, Seven. You almost got that one right. However, it is not appropriate to speak about those matters in the mess hall," Chakotay instructed.
"But everyone knows Ensign Harrow is having difficulties with this pregnancy."
"It was not the topic, so much as the detail you put into it. There are some things it is just not polite to speak about while eating. Also, Ensign Harrow might be embarrassed for everyone on the ship to know the details of her digestive problems."
"I believe I understand. Ensign Kim looked somewhat unwell as I was speaking. Are there any other topics I should avoid?"
"I have found that a good rule of thumb is to avoid anything that you would speak to a doctor about. Dinner conversations should be about neutral topics that the rest of your table mates can relate to. For instance, it would be acceptable to talk with Tom and B'Elanna about ship design, but not if you were sitting with the Doctor or Mortimer Harren. The conversation should include everyone."
They both turned as a throat was cleared in the doorway. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
Chakotay shook his head. "No, Captain; we were just about finished."
"Good, because we just received a distress call from what appears to be a Federation ship and I was hoping Seven might be able to clean it up for us."
"Of course, Captain." Seven immediately turned to the console and got to work.
"Would you like me to stay down here, Captain?" Chakotay asked.
"No. I'll stay. I admit I'm curious as to who this might be."
Chakotay smiled. "I understand, Captain. I'll be on the bridge. And Seven, we'll try again at 1700 hours."
"Understood," Seven answered without looking up. The door closed behind Chakotay.
"I think I have it, Captain."
Janeway's expression was a mixture of hope and confusion as she listened to the recording. "The Equinox was a planetary research vessel; how did it get all the way out here?" she asked.
"That is a good question." Seven commented.
Janeway leaned against the console. "I always wanted to meet Captain Ransom but the opportunity never presented itself." she told Seven. "How far away are they?"
"3.2 light years." Seven responded.
"Janeway to Bridge, make a course adjustment. Seven is sending you the coordinates now." Janeway said.
"Understood." Chakotay replied. "Mister Paris is laying in a course."
"I'm on my way. Janeway out." Janeway turned to Seven. "Walk with me," she invited. Seven of Nine fell into step with the Captain as they left Astrometrics. "How are your lessons with Commander Chakotay going?"
"They are going well." Seven responded. "Yesterday we discussed socialization, which I proceeded to practice in the Mess Hall. Commander Chakotay says I did well, but I confess that I find the rules arbitrary, illogical, and confusing."
Janeway smiled. "To be honest, most of us feel that way. The difference is that most of us learned them gradually over the course of many years. You have come far since you joined the crew. You have exceeded all of my expectations. I have no doubt that you will figure this out." By this point they had reached the turbolift.
"Thank you, Captain," Seven responded. "I find that your approval is gratifying. I hope this ship is everything you hope."
As she rode the turbolift to the bridge, Janeway reflected that Seven was already starting to figure out polite conversation and made a mental note to complement Chakotay later.
On the Bridge Janeway took her seat and waited for Voyager to arrive at the Equinox's position. Everyone's mouths opened slightly in surprise at the sight of the Equinox's shimmering shields.
"Are they under some sort of attack?" Chakotay asked, turning to Tuvok.
"Unknown." Tuvok answered.
"We are within hailing distance." Harry Kim reported.
"Open a channel." Janeway ordered.
"Equinox this is the Federation star ship Voyager are you under a-"
"Merge your shields with ours at our frequency!" A man's voice said, cutting her off. "Please, we don't have much time left!"
Janeway quickly weighted the risks in her mind. They didn't know what the shimmering was, but clearly the crew of the Equinox knew something she did not. "Do it." She ordered.
As they merged their shields with those of the Equinox a whiny hum filled the bridge. "Do you hear that?" Harry asked.
"Interspatial fissures are opening on decks one, five and fifteen." Seven reported urgently.
Suddenly the strange noise stopped. Everyone on the Bridge looked at each other.
"The fissures have closed." Seven reported.
Everyone sighed with relief but they were still confused. "What was that?" Harry asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.
"Maybe it was whatever has been attacking them." Tom suggested.
More silence.
"Chakotay, take an away team over and assist the survivors." Janeway commanded.
"Tuvok, Seven, Harry, Tom you're with me." Chakotay said as he stood. Everyone stood or followed Chakotay into the lift.
"I wonder how they got out here." Harry said as they approached Transporter Room One.
"Maybe the Caretaker brought them here." Chakotay suggested.
"Then why haven't we heard about them?" Tom asked.
"Maybe they took a different route." Seven said as they entered the Transporter Room.
"Possible." Chakotay said as they stood on the Transporter Pad.
"Energize," he said to Ensign Nathaniel Harrow.
Soon they appeared on the Equinox.
"Split up and search for survivors." Chakotay said.
He was carefully picking his way through what was left of Engineering when he heard faint cries. He quickly pulled some debris out of the way and soon he found a blond female ensign. She stared at him in confusion. "I'm Commander Chakotay of the Federation Starship Voyager." He said in introduction.
"But we're the only humans in the Delta Quadrant," she whispered.
Chakotay smiled reassuringly. "That's what we used to think." Chakotay reached out and offered her his hand.
"I'm Ensign Marla Gilmore." The woman said as she took the offered hand.
xxxxx
Seven knelt beside another crew member pinned to the deck by debris. "Everything is going to be alright," she said calmly. "Mister Kim will free you."
The crewman nodded. Harry went to work cutting the debris. "Are my legs still there?" the crewman asked, fear in his voice.
Seven looked. "Your legs are still attached. What's your name?"
"Noah Lessing," he whispered.
"Mr. Kim is almost done Noah Lessing." Seven said.
"Got it!" Harry said triumphantly. "Ensign Kim to Voyager, one to beam to Sick Bay."
Seven and Harry watched as Noah was beamed away before returning to the search.
xxxxxx
Chakotay carefully approached the Captain's chair.
"Captain Ransom, I am Commander Chakotay of USS Voyager. We received your distress call." Chakotay informed him. "We were brought here by the Care-"
"Taker," Ransom finished for Chakotay.
"We need to get you back to Voyager," Chakotay said.
Captain Ransom shook his head. "I can't leave," he told Chakotay.
"We need to treat your injuries and the best way to do that is aboard Voyager," Chakotay argued.
Ransom sighed. "Alright."
xxxxx
B'Elanna shifted her tiny son in her arms as she listened to Captain Rudolph Ransom recite some names of the Equinox's crew that were lost in the attack and said some kind things about them. She watched as one of the crew members walked toward her. "Maxwell Burke?" She asked, shifting her son once again.
"BLT," The man, Max, said smiling to cover his surprise.
"I can't believe that it's you!" "B'Elanna said.
Max laughed. "I can't believe it's you. You have changed since I last saw you. And I see that you have a little one. I never pictured you as the mothering type," Max replied.
B'Elanna smiled. "People change. This is Owen Thomas Paris." She said.
"He's almost as cute as his mother." He commented and walked off.
"'BLT?'" Tom asked, turning to B'Elanna.
"Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich." B'Elanna explained. "My old initials."
Tom scowled.
B'Elanna laughed. "You're cute when you are jealous. I'm going to put Owen to bed." She left the Mess Hall still grinning.
Tom watched her leave.
Harry chuckled. "Come on Turkey Platter, we have work to do."
"What ever you say . . . Ham Kaiser." Tom shot back.
xxxxx
Marla sat in the Mess Hall with Chakotay, Seven and Harry. "This is much better than our field rations," she commented.
Harry laughed. "It took some getting used to but now we have a hard time imagining not having Neelix's cooking," Harry agreed.
"Hello!" Marla turned to see who had addressed her and found a half Ktarian girl standing next to her chair.
"Why hello, who are you?" Marla asked.
The girl stood straighter. "I'm Naomi Wildman, Captain's Assistant. I just wanted to welcome you aboard Voyager." Naomi said. "It's my job to make sure every visitor feels welcome."
"That's very kind of you, Miss Wildman. I think everything I need has already been provided."
"Very well; carry on." Marla watched as Naomi walked off.
"She's cute, I have a nephew about her age...or used to. I guess he would be nearly an adult by now."
"Naomi was born on Voyager, so it's the only home she's ever known. She was our first. There are only three other children on Voyager." Chakotay explained.
"But we have several more on the way." Harry added with a smile. "The Jarvins, Edgertons, Jeffersons and the Harrows."
"Is there something wrong?" Marla asked, noting that everyone at the table frowned when he mentioned the Harrows.
Chakotay sighed. "We were never meant to be away this long. The Doctor does his best, but he was never meant to deal with childbirth, especially mixed-species births, nor was Sickbay equipped for it. We nearly lost Naomi and her mother and because Rhianna is half Catyan her pregnancy is even higher-risk."
Marla nodded.
"Here they are," Harry murmured. Marla turned to see a couple enter the Mess Hall. The feline-looking woman was clearly pregnant and the man at her side held her elbow as though afraid she would break if held too roughly. Marla watched as they sat down and the chef set a large plate of something in front of them.
"Rhianna is on a special diet," Seven volunteered. "Her husband Nathaniel has chosen to support her by eating the same diet. I think it is very...sweet."
Chakotay gave her an approving smile.
Marla watched the couple and thought about the cheerful Naomi and felt guilt creeping over her for what they were about to do.
xxxxx
Chakotay walked onto the holodeck. Seven was already waiting. "Did I do well in the Mess Hall?" she asked.
"Much better than last time." Chakotay said. "But you spoke very little."
"I do not know them, nor do I trust them. I was uncertain what to speak about with someone I do not trust."
"That is why conversation was invented. If we were on a planet, we would talk about the weather. It is also generally acceptable to discuss the food and most off-duty activities. You will do fine. I don't think we need to go any farther with conversation lessons at this point. I think the rest will come with time and practice. What would you like to focus on next?"
Seven considered for several seconds.
"I have heard several crew members talk about what they find romantic. I do not understand 'romance'. I understand that reproduction is a genetic imperative in most sapient species, but I do not understand the inefficiency of courtship. If two people find each other compatible, why do they not just do what is necessary and return to their assigned tasks."
"Okay," Chakotay said, "This one may need a little more work." He ordered the holodeck to provide them with chairs and sat down. "Courtship is necessary. It is a way of finding out if you are compatible. The Borg way is to be one but never to really know each other. Most species are different. We are meant to have one person we know better than any other, someone we feel we can trust in any situation. I suppose genetically, we crave this connection because if we are committed to each other, we will be committed to any children we give birth to."
"That is sensible. Young should be raised in a safe environment. But if that is what one is to look for, what purpose would sitting on a bluff overlooking the Utopia Shipyards on Mars serve?." Seven asked.
"Utopia Shipyards?" Chakotay asked, perplexed.
"It seems Tom Paris finds the view romantic." Seven answered.
"He would," Chakotay muttered. "That would be part of getting to know the other person and has everything to do with personal preference. I believe there are a variety of programs designed by various crew members of what they consider to be romantic. Why don't we go through them and see what we can learn. We'll start with Tom's."
Chakotay activated Tom's program and Chakotay and Seven found themselves sitting in an antique vehicle on a bluff looking at the Utopia Shipyards.
"Well, what do you think?" Chakotay asked Seven.
Seven surveyed the scene. "It is interesting but not pleasing to the eye." She said.
Chakotay nodded. "Tom loves machines of all types. We are sitting in an antique car overlooking a shipyard. In addition, it brings to mind the courtship rituals of the late 19th and early 20th century when young folk would go 'parking'. They would drive a car to some remote spot, often a cliff looking down over the city."
"And engage in pre-mating behavior. Yes, I found that in my research." She changed the scene. Mars was replaced with a meadow with waterfalls and sunshine in a blue sky with white wispy clouds. "Both Ensigns Harrow think that this is romantic," Seven said.
"And what do you think?"
Seven was silent. "The sound of the waterfalls is relaxing," she said at last. "And this would also be a good place for pre-mating behavior."
"Let's try something else." Chakotay suggested.
xxxxx
The Doctor carefully picked his way through the Research Lab.
"It has been completely redesigned." He reported to Seven and Tuvok on the other side of the Comm channel. "I doubt that there is anything quite like it."
Something in the room caught his attention.
"There is some sort of container." He reported.
The Doctor moved in front of the container and shone his light inside. He could not disguise his disgust at finding the pitiful remains of a Nucleogenic lifeform inside. "Tell the Captain that I believe that I have found the reason why the lifeforms have been attacking the Equinox."
xxxxx
As Janeway listened to Captain Ransom's story, she tried very hard to hide her disgust.
"I cannot find words to describe my disgust," Janeway stated.
"You would have done the same in my position," Ransom argued.
Janeway glared at him. "No, I wouldn't have."
Ransom gave her a look. "You have obviously given up hope of seeing Earth again, but my crew and I haven't. We are just being practical."
"Practical? You murdered innocent beings who meant you no harm. We did what was practical. We realized that there was a good chance we might not find technology that will speed our journey enough to get us home quickly or allow us to contact home for assistance and we prepared for that fact. We haven't given up, but we can't ignore the fact that we might die before we get home. We trade with those who are willing to befriend us and avoid those who won't, but we have not and will not harm innocents just to get home a few years earlier," she snapped. "You and your crew are confined to quarters until further notice."
xxxxx
The Doctor moved around the MedBay, searching his many programs for a way to decode the information about the Nucleogenic lifeforms.
Finally a thought occurred to him.
"Computer activate EMH."
"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," the EMH said as it appeared.
"These files are encoded and I can't figure them out," the Doctor explained.
"Of course not, I encoded them," the EMH said, sounding almost proud.
"You!" the Doctor demanded, shocked.
"Yes, they deleted my ethical subroutine," the EMH explained before hitting the Doctor's Mobile Emitter.
Curious, the EMH examined the emitter, smiling as he realized its purpose. The EMH transferred the Doctor to the Equinox's computer and transferred Itself to the Mobile Emitter before beaming over to Voyager.
"Did you find anything?" B'Elanna asked it.
"Nothing useful." It lied. "It appears that they deleted all of the pertinent files."
B'Elanna growled and stalked off.
The EMH made it's way to Sick Bay. Once inside it queried the computer for information. Discovering that his crew were prisoners, he gathered a few items he would need to help them escape.
xxxxxxx
"Captain, there is phaser fire on deck seven." Harry reported.
Janeway stood. "Ransom," she whispered.
"Several people were just beamed to the Equinox." Harry reported
Janeway started to pace.
"Captain they're trying to take the multiphasic shield."
"Stop them!" she ordered.
"Too late," Harry reported.
"They are breaking away from us." Tuvok reported.
Janeway watched in horror as the Equinox broke away from them and sped away. Then the ominous whiny hum of the Interspatial Fissures opening filled the air. "All hands this is the Captain, be ready to defend yourselves against any attacks."
xxxxx
"We should try to find the Ankari and tell them our side of the story." Chakotay said in the Briefing Room. "They must have a way to communicate with the lifeforms."
Janeway's mouth twisted as though she had just bitten something sour, but she nodded in agreement. "As much as it pains me to let those heartless traitors go free, we can't risk chasing them without help. If we still had the multiphasic shield we were building, I might disagree, but at this point we could very well be killed by the lifeforms before bringing our own people to justice.
"We will use the information we got from the Equinox to find them and do our best to negotiate a peaceful solution. And then we will deal with our own. Are we still tracking them?"
"Yes, Captain," Tuvok responded. "But they disappeared off our sensors as they passed by a planet."
"I've seen this trick before," Chakotay volunteered. "They're using the atmosphere of the planet or a nearby nebula to hide from our sensors."
"That would fit with what I have read about Captain Ransom's service record," Janeway agreed. "When faced with danger, he tends to hide. Judging by the damage to his ship, he will probably be there for some time making repairs before the Equinox is ready to move on. Send an away team with a shuttle to the surface. If any of the Equinox crew beam down to that planet for supplies, I want them captured and questioned. We will get Seven back and make sure they are held responsible for their actions. Dismissed."
xxxxx
It took them nearly two days before they finally stumbled across an Ankari ship. "They are not responding to our hails." Tuvok informed them. "They seem to be preparing to flee."
"Use the Tractor Beam; I know it is against regulations, but it might be our only hope. The only other Federation ship they will have met was the Equinox." Janeway said.
"Tractor beam locked. They are hailing us." Tuvok reported.
"On screen." Janeway said.
"Why have you stopped us?" The Ankari demanded.
"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager." Janeway said.
"You people have done enough damage!" The Ankari snapped.
"It wasn't us, I could never condone the slaughter of any lifeform." Janeway explained.
"The Equinox!" The Ankari spat.
Janeway nodded.
"What do you want?" The Ankair asked.
"I wish to talk to them and tell them that we didn't know what the Equinox had done to them until later." Janeway explained.
The Ankari nodded.
"Very well," he said. "I will help you communicate with them."
"On behave of my crew I thank you." Janeway said.
"Don't thank me just yet." The Ankari said.
xxxxx
Janeway watched as the Nucleogenic lifeform floated in the air, speaking with the Ankari.
"They want the Equinox," an Ankari explained.
Janeway bit the inside of her lip. "I had hoped to deal with them myself, but it was not us they harmed. We will give them the Equinox on one condition: They have a member of my crew held captive. She is innocent of this crime. I ask that she be spared."
"They agree to your terms," the Ankari translated.
Janeway turned to him.
"Thank you."
xxx
Ensign Rhianna Harrow walked toward Sick Bay. She was two minutes late for her weekly prenatal exam. It had taken her sometime to escape Engineering and an infuriated B'Elanna. Never anger a half Klingon or put her newborn son in danger, Rhianna thought as she approached Sick Bay.
"Sorry I am late, Doctor," she said as she walked in.
The Doctor turned to face her, obviously confused. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."
Rhianna frowned. "I am here for my weekly prenatal exam," she reminded him.
"Prenatal exam? Oh..." the Doctor said. "Well, up on the bio bed."
Rhianna carefully climbed onto the nearest bio bed and laid down. She watched as the Doctor calmly ran his medical tri-corder over her before smiling. "Everything seems to be fine and I will see you...at the next scheduled exam time."
Rhianna waited for him to ask the usual questions.
Finally, he asked, "Was there something else or can I get back to what I was doing?"
Rhianna shook her head. "I don't know if it's anything to worry about but you did say to tell you. I am experiencing some pain in-"
"I'm sure it's nothing; I understand pregnancy is a painful process, but I can give you a painkiller if you want," the Doctor said abruptly, cutting her off.
Carefully Rhianna sat up, slid off the bio bed. "I think it will go away on it's own. Thank you, Doctor." She exited Sick Bay and immediately headed for Engineering. B'Elanna should be told that there was something wrong with the Doctor. She stopped short in the doorway; B'Elanna 's mood was, if anything, worse than before. She wasn't sure she would get her message out before her head was bitten off.
She turned around and headed for the Bridge instead.
xxx
Janeway glanced at the turbolift to see Ensign Rhianna Harrow standing there. "Ensign Harrow, is there something wrong?" She asked, concerned.
"Maybe." Rhianna said.
Janeway stood and walked to her Ready Room and Rhianna followed her.
"So, what's the problem Ensign? Is it the baby?" Janeway asked. "Do you need to be let off your shift.
"It's not that, exactly," Rhianna said. "It's the Doctor."
"Explain," Janeway requested.
"I was scheduled to have my weekly prenatal exam today and the Doctor seemed to have forgotten it and then he barely examined me. He just scanned me with his tri-corder and told me everything seemed fine and that he would see me next week. None of his usually greeting and he didn't even ask me when was the last time I felt the baby move or if I had been resting. He didn't ask about my diet and when I tried to tell him about the pain I was experiencing, he told me it was nothing to worry about and offered me a painkiller," Rhianna said. "It just felt wrong, as if he didn't even know me."
Janeway nodded.
"I'll have B'Elanna check the Doctor out. Meanwhile you should rest. It has been several exciting days and you should probably put your feet up." Janeway told Ensign Harrow.
Rhianna smiled in relief. "Thank you for you time Captain." She said, stood and left the Ready Room.
Janeway massaged her temples. This rescue mission had turned into a disaster. The last thing she needed was a malfunctioning Doctor. "Captain to B'Elanna."
"B'Elanna here."
"We seem to have a problem with the Doctor's program. I'm afraid it might have been damaged in the chaos earlier. Can you spare someone to run a diagnostic?"
"Now, Captain? They stole vital-"
"I know, Lieutenant, but we can't afford to lose the doctor."
"Understood. Can I borrow Tom?"
Janeway smiled. "Yes, you can borrow Tom. Janeway out."
xxxxx
"The Doctor isn't the Doctor," B'Elanna reported.
Janeway nearly gaped at her. "What?" she asked.
"I'm guessing that it is the Equinox's EMH."
Janeway nodded. "That would explain how the Equinox's crew escaped. I think we can use this to our advantage." She touched her communicator. "All senior officers report to the ready room."
"Captain?"
"I think it's time to turn the tables, don't you? With a little misinformation given to their spy, we should be able to flush them out."
xxxxx
B'Elanna smiled as she deleted the memories of the Equinox EMH and replaced the Ethical Subroutine. "Okay, we can now use him as a backup, but I've given him a script based on his memories that should allow him to trick them into showing themselves," she announced triumphantly.
"Feeling vindictive, love?" Tom asked.
"They deserve it. I don't appreciate being taken advantage of and their little trick could have killed us. Let's see how they like it when the tables are turned."
"You're beautiful when you're taking revenge." Tom said.
xxxxxx
"Captain, someone just beamed over Seven of Nine and five members of the Equinox's crew and transferred the Doctor's program back to Sick Bay." Harry reported.
Janeway turned to Chakotay. "Glad that we decided to lower our shields and 'disable' our own engines." Janeway told him with a vague smile.
Chakotay smiled back. "An ingenious idea." he said.
"The Nucleogenic lifeforms are attacking the Equinox's warp core." Tuvok reported.
Janeway swallowed.
"Someone is hailing us." Tuvok reported.
"On screen." Janeway ordered.
A disheveled Captain Ransom appeared. "Captain Janeway, is everyone I sent you on board?" he asked.
"Yes, they are." She answered.
"I will pilot the Equinox to a safe distance," Ransom said. "We were out here so long, I never noticed just how imbalanced Maxwell Burke had become. I know it is no excuse. We betrayed our own people. I beg you to be merciful to my former crew. I am the one who allowed this to happen."
"There is still time to beam you aboard, Captain Ransom."
"No. I will do something right for once and go down with my ship." With that the transmission ended.
The Bridge Crew watched solemnly as the Equinox moved away.
"Raise shields." Janeway ordered.
The Equinox exploded, disappearing into the dark of space.
xxx
Janeway paced in front of the five surviving crew members of the Equinox. "I am very disappointed in all of you. You have not only broken the Prime Directive, you tried to leave us, your own people, to die."
Janeway paused in her pacing. "All of you are stripped of your ranks and demoted to crewmen. You will have limited privileges. You have broken our trust and you will have to earn it back; it will not be given to you."
Janeway glared at all of them. "Dismissed." She said.
xxxxxx
Seven walked into the Holodeck. "Come here, I want to show you something," Chakotay invited. She walked over to where he stood. "Watch. This is a field not far from where I grew up. The moons only rose together four times each year. I used to lay in the middle of the field to watch them come up." He took her hand and led her over to a blanket."
They watched in silence for a time watching the three moons slowly rise over the open field. "It is pleasing to the eye." Seven commented.
Chakotay nodded. "It is one of my fondest memories. My father took me out the first time, but I always preferred to watch it by myself."
"Then why are you showing it to me?"
"I am sharing it with you because I want to. You have impressed me in so many ways since you first came on board Voyager. You are beautiful, intelligent, hard-working...I have never met anyone like you."
"Are you suggesting that you wish to court me?"
"If that is something you feel comfortable with."
"I accept. It has intriguing possibilities and it would admirably complement my lessons."
"Seven. I'm not courting you just to-"
"I understand, Chakotay." She paused. "I have been doing some research and I have created a setting I find quite pleasing. Would you like to see it?"
"Of course." He replied
'Computer activate holodeck program Seven-Alpha-five-six." Seven said.
Immediately the triple moons disappeared to be replaced with a meadow with a waterfall and a sky full of stars. Bands of light began to cross the sky. "I find this pleasing to the eye." Seven said. "Do you concur?"
Chakotay felt a smile come to his face. "It is beautiful, Seven," he murmured, putting his arm around her shoulder.
xxxxx
A/N
For those of you wondering what problems Rhianna has been experiencing we have decided to leave it to your imaginations.
As for Chakotay's homeworld, since there is nothing official listed about what it looks like we decided to be creative.