A Child's Point of View
Rating: K+
Pairing: J/C mentioned
Summary: A scary moment of Voyager's time in the DQ from a Child's point of view.
Author's note: This is a companion piece to Surprise and Even the Captain not essential you read all but reading Surprise may give a little bit of context. I don't own Star trek Voyager or its characters but the Janeway children are my own creation.
I don't have a beta so all mistakes are my own.
=/\=
This was it. A big event in her life. Something she had almost been dreading, she didn't know why she dreaded it, she was a smart girl. It was the fact she'd have interact with others. These kids wouldn't be like Icheb or Naomi or even Mezoti, Azan and Rebi. They wouldn't know her like they did, she wouldn't get to have the advantages of being the command team's daughter.
She squared her shoulders and walked calmly up the steps towards the building she would spend a lot of her time in. Earth had only been home for 8 weeks and she was desperate to make a good impression on all the Earth children. Chakotay and Kathryn weren't far behind her. Erla and Kolpak had started Kindergarten yesterday so today it was just her and Anson, who wouldn't be with her, they'd be separated. She'd never admit it aloud but she was going to miss her little brother.
The receptionist was a big woman and called for the head as soon as she saw the newly promoted Captain and Admiral. The head was a tall man he nearly passed out at the sight.
"I had no idea Starfleet were sending such…for an inspection." Kathryn had to stop herself rolling her eyes. Chakotay took her hand and told his eldest children to come and meet the head.
"Hello Miss Janeway and Mister Janeway. I gather it's you two starting here. I'm Mr Coltain. Say good bye to your…parents" He smiled a horrible slimey smile. Chakotay lifted his son up and kissed him, then as Anson kissed his mother while Melon hugged her father tightly.
The two young Janeway's were led away by another teacher waving gloomily behind them.
"They'll be fine my dear." Kathryn looked up at her husband.
"If they're anything like their mother. I just hate letting my kids go." Chakotay had always been protective of both all his children, especially Melon who had been born during an attack by the swarm months after New Earth.
=/\=
Anson was lead down a different corridor to his big sister and honestly seemed more excited than his sister.
Melonie's new class was huge. There were at least 25 other children in the room. Melonie wanted to shy away, her classes on Voyager had never been this big. The teacher was a small woman with mousy hair and tiny nose. She smiled and introduced her to the class.
"This our new student Melonie, I expect you all to be nice to her and offer her a seat" the class was silent. 'Why didn't she welcome me properly? I guess others would be jealous if they knew I was Kathryn Janeway's eldest daughter' the young girl thought.
Melonie was a lot smarter than her class mates having had a really solid and interesting education. The Doctor, Seven, Neelix, Tuvok, Tom, and Samantha, nearly everyone had helped the children of Voyager learn about the world they were desperate to get back to.
"She can sit by me" at that moment a girl Melonie would always recognise stood up, Naomi. Skipping to the back of the class she smiled at her friend who she thought was staying on DS9 with her Mom and dad.
The class began with a maths problem, the girls did it together in the first ten minutes. While the rest of the class took over an hour of solving, discussing, correcting and yet more discussing
"Why are you on Earth?" Melon whispered as the teacher explained why one of the boys was wrong in his solution.
"Mom and Dad decided that I should be on Earth as I could probably get better resources and we would be closer to my family. I have 7 cousins and 4 aunts and uncles." Naomi hadn't changed she was still her happy and bubbly self but the dash of ambition was as strong as ever.
=/\=
The girls had been told that the class had been working on moments they had been scared but had overcome that fear. Naomi asked if she could do a short talk with Melonie, the teacher was sceptical but allowed it.
"We could do the time we were eaten by the pitcher plant." Naomi suggested
"I was barely even 2 when that happened. What about the time your mom was missing and while getting stressed over that mom decided then would be a good time to have Anson." Melon suggested but Naomi shook her head reminding her that Captain Janeway was already several weeks late and was expecting to have Anson. Then it hit them, the time the ship was hit by a strange anomaly nodding they began to discuss how to explain the story effectively.
Most of the stories were about getting separated from a parent for a short amount of time in the shopping malls, not as extreme as when Sam had gone missing on her away mission, or going swimming for the first time. It was soon their turn the two Voyager children were excited
"Well living on a Starship for most of our lives was really scary and being the 'Captain's assistant' sometimes meant I'd be with her when bad things happened." Naomi started.
"I am younger than Naomi and she grew really quickly because of her Ktarian genes but as Captain Janeway's Eldest daughter, Melonie Janeway, I too was there with mom when bed things occurred. There was one time an anom…pitcher plant tricked us all but Seven and Naomi weren't but the time were really scared, because there were no adults whatsoever with us and my little brother was whining like a baby, was the time we were struck by a weird lightningy thing. That split the ship into different time zones each from Voyager's own timeline" Melonie continued.
"The day began, well ended, when Icheb was trying to teach me about Genetics, the commander came to get something, he was going to dinner with his wife, Captain Janeway. Melonie said that she and her brother Anson would come over then. Like a sleepover." She added.
"So about 2000 hours I went to Ensign Wildman's room, with my little brother who was only two, Icheb was there also and we sat and played our game Kotis Kot and we were getting bored so we decided to talk about…
=/\=
"You two should be quiet, Ensign Wildman, Captain Janeway AND Commander Chakotay have trusted me to look after you all. At least Anson behaves better then you." Icheb bossed as he saw them jumping on the beds. As they got a little bored of their Kotis Kot game. They had been playing for ages and Icheb had no control over them so at 2200 hours they were still both wide awake which was the opposite of Anson who was fast asleep in his makeshift cot.
The ship jolted suddenly, waking Anson and scaring the two girls. Melonie, ever the helpful sister, went over to Anson. Stroking his head and placed a finger on her lips. The shaking happened again and Icheb wasn't able to com call anyone.
"Be quiet. You have no reason to be scared, it's just turbulence. That must have knocked our com systems out." He reasoned picking a book from the shelf and handing it to Naomi to read and calm down he went to the door and decided not to inform the girls the doors weren't opening or responding. He then ran through hearing screams.
"What's happening?" Naomi asked, feeling the air grow cold and then a mirror like brush washed over them and Icheb disappeared. The girls stiffened and Melon held her brother closer to her, as if protecting him, Naomi as the eldest decided to fetch her emergency com, again it was quiet. Neelix didn't answer nor did the Captain or the Commander.
"Lets play Kotis Kot again. Someone will be along soon." Naomi suggested and so they did, Naomi won and then Melonie won it was pretty boring as both girls were a sort of experts at the game, Anson fell asleep but soon awoke shouting for 'Mommmmmmy' the young girls told him to be quiet and help with the game, he wasn't successful.
Suddenly the doors were forced open both girls jumped up grabbing the nearest thing, a big book and a pillow.
"State your intentions"
"You will regret coming in" The girls shouted two red and black clad figures walked.
"Daddy!" Anson crawled to the end bed Chakotay almost dived to make sure he didn't fall. Kathryn walked in, her hair was up and she wasn't pregnant. Naomi and Melonie gasped. Over Chakotay's shoulder Anson squealed.
"THE BABIES…gone" Melon and Naomi fell into a fit of giggles
"Commander, why are we here?" Janeway raised her eyebrow and Melon visibly paled. She took the tanned hand of her father and took him to the corner of the room.
"Daddy what's wrong with Mommy?" Melon asked and Chakotay tried to say nothing but when they looked to her she was standing arms folded back straight and eyeing Naomi down.
"Commander. We need to get on to engineering, why are we here?" Janeway asked again as the three children stared.
"Girls I want you to stay here and continue the game. The ship is currently going through some difficulties."
"Is it dangerous? Is it something to with time?" Naomi suggested, Chakotay chuckled
"So M…Captain is from before I was born" Melon realised and Chakotay nodded sitting Anson down on the bed and kissing his forehead. Turning to his eldest he nodded and held her close to him.
"Commander you said this Seska was dangerous so I suggest a plan. We have places to be." Janeway reminded him, her impatience showing, both Naomi and Melon squealed.
"Why is she here?"
"I nearly died. She's dangerous" Naomi's eyes widened. As she and Melon stood in front of the door to the two commanding officers.
"Mommy was so ill last time. That made me ill too, doc was upset. NOOOOO!" The temper exploded and she clung to the captain's leg.
"Honey get off your…captain. We need to go. You will see her later. And when you do she'll know you and hug you and if you're lucky let you get a pet on the holodeck. Now please let go of her." He whispered carefully prising his daughter of his future wife's leg.
Stepping back she looked up at the woman, yanking her down to her height taking her hands placing them on her cheeks and looking deep into her eyes.
"Do NOT die. I need you. Got it?" The confused younger Captain Janeway nodded and snapped back to her normal position and left hastily.
One last look at his kids he told them to not leave the room. Anson was calmer as Naomi began to read the Flotter book.
"Mommy pooped babies" he sniffled again much to the girl's amusement.
"No Anson. Mommy's don't poop babies. Silly" she giggled at her brother pushing him down slightly so he'd sit in his cot.
=/\=
The girls smiled finishing their scary story. Most of the children were dumbfound by the action that their newer classmates encountered during their younger days.
"Well girls that was certainly interesting" The teacher smiled at them.
"More. Tell us more please. Have you met Captain Piccard?" someone shouted out and the girls nodded and for the rest of the school day. Naomi and Melonie told stories of their unique view of Voyager's troubles.
Author's Note: I hope you liked this little drabble the next one is a little sadder so be prepared. Leave a review and let me know what you think.
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