The Hands of Time
Part VIII
Rated: MA
Pairing: J/C
Summary: The hands of time stop for no one.
Disclaimer: The characters always belong the Paramount, and some of the script, but the story is mine...thank god for small favours.
Date: November 2000
Length: 850 words
Kathryn awoke later. She didn't know how much later nor did she care. She was ashamed, and disappointed. She wanted her babies back. She wanted Chakotay back. She wanted to be home, home on earth where she could drown in her sorrows. Home where she could forget everything that had happened to her over the past years. Home...where she could forget who she was and just love Chakotay for the man that he was.
She looked around, what had awakened her from her blissful sojourn into nothingness? She let her hand stray to her abdomen where just hours ago her children had lain. She looked around her darkened quarters. In the most hidden corner she saw a crib. When she approached there lay a child.
Her child? Ris? She picked the squalling infant up and cradled it close. She looked closer, it was Ris. This was her son. "Oh god, you're here." She looked into the crib, looked closer hoping his sister would be there, but she knew Addy was gone. She knew that child was the reason they had been put on the planet and that same reason was why she was holding her son. Then she realized Chakotay didn't know. *Chakotay.*
"Janeway to Chakotay."
In Chakotay's quarters he was awakened by the sound of Kathryn's voice. He slid over hoping she was there with him, but he knew she was not. Her 'protocols' would not allow it. "Chakotay here."
He heard the fast breathing and the excitement in her voice. "Chakotay, Ris came back with us."
Chakotay was out the door and outside her quarters before he could answer her hail. The door as opened so he stepped in. "Kathryn, is that?"
She nodded tears in her eyes. "This is Ris Chance Janeway."
He was awestruck by the infant beauty before him. He reached out for the child, and handled him as if he were a porcelain doll. "Kathryn...he's...he's ours."
She smiled through the tears of joy. "Yes Chakotay, 'our' son."
The moment was broken and the joy interrupted by a hail from the bridge. "Tuvok to Captain Janeway."
She smiled one last time at Chakotay and the child he held. "Janeway here."
"Captain, we are being hailed by Starfleet command."
She looked one last time to Chakotay and the child he held before donning her uniform and heading out the door. "I'm on my way."
Kathryn arrived on the bridge and noticed a couple of suspicious things. All her former Maquis crewmembers were missing. The only bridge crew present were the ones with sparkling records before the Caretaker incident as Starfleet called it.
Kathryn was annoyed because on her normally size 6 frame, she now wore a size 8. Certain things just couldn't be hidden in those stupid uniforms, and her now slightly distended gut was one of them.
She turned to Harry. "Open a hailing frequency."
She drew in a deep breath and started the tirade she had been waiting more than seven long years to give. "This is Kathryn Janeway. This is Voyager, and it looks like we're finally home." The cheers from the bridge officers were deafening and were cut short by the admiral on the screen.
"Captain, would you please transport to these coordinates, alone. Please make sure the ship is secured and the Maquis are held until further notice. Aurora out."
Janeway turned to the deathly silent bridge officers. "Harry...I guess gather all the former Maquis in cargo bay II and tell them to stay put in their quarters until I come back. I will not have my crew confined to the brig until these Starfleet beaurocrats decide otherwise." She was steaming when she left the bridge. On the way out, she gave Harry's shoulder a squeeze. A look of mischief entered her clear blue eyes. "Maybe you will get that promotion you've been pining for ensign." She let out a laugh that disbanded the tension on the bridge and she was gone.
Tom looked to Harry. "See Harry, all that bridge training did get you somewhere. It got you control while we're at spacedoc."
Harry gave him a scathing look. Left the bridge in Tuvok's hands, and headed to cargo bay two, before making the ship wide announcement which would end a lot of things on the Voyager. Including friendships and trust. "Would all former Maquis crewmembers please report of Cargo Bay II for an announcement."
Harry made one last glance at the bridge of the ship that had been his home for seven years and was gone. Unsure of what the future held for him or any of the others, but sure of one thing. Kathryn Janeway would do her best to make sure everyone was cared for...or else.
END PART VIII
TBC in PART IX
