Summary: Part 12 of "Home".
Copyright April 2001 Cassatt
She woke up with more than a start. She froze, sitting straight up, instantaneously awake. Her heart was pounding loudly, echoing in her ears, the only sound she could hear other than the soft snoring next to her. But the images in her mind were hazy, fleeting, not possible to grasp long enough to see. Hostile aliens? She wasn't sure. The Borg? No. There was nothing comforting there, though, she was certain of that. And she was so cold, no matter what the ambient temperature was or the heat radiating off the solid body sleeping so soundly on her right. She looked at the fire grate, there were some embers still glowing. She pulled herself reluctantly out of the covers to rebuild a small fire and began to shiver in the air. Her teeth chattering, she reached for some kindling and a few very small logs, but her hands were shaking and the sticks dropped, the noise shattering the relative silence. Damn. She turned back and grabbed the quilt, getting it around her shoulders.
"Honey...." Chakotay mumbled, rolling toward her. His next words were unintelligible.
"Sh-h-h," she whispered. "Go back to sleep..." She moved the screen with almost no noise and put the kindling in, blowing softly to ignite the shredded bark of the sticks.
"What's wrong," he said more clearly, extending his hand out to touch her back.
Her teeth were still chattering, but she managed to get the kindling going then put the small logs on. The low fire caught and she accepted the warmth, though it didn't seem to be doing any good. She finally turned and met warm brown eyes regarding her with concern.
"Kath-ryn..." The word was spoken slowly, almost a plea. He really did know her way way too well. "Come back in here, you're shivering." He raised what was left of his covers, really just the sheet, and patted the mattress next to him. She hesitated, only because she really wanted him to keep sleeping, he needed to be alert in court. His future was hanging in the balance. "Do you want me to make that an order," he asked with a tease in his voice.
She relented and crawled back under the covers, throwing the quilt on top of them. "How many times do I have to tell you, you can't give me orders..." she said into his chest as he pulled her gently against him. He was so warm, yet still she froze.
"Goodness, what happened to you... you're like ice..." he tightened his hold, running his hands up and down her back. "And you can keep telling me over and over again. It won't matter. We're equals here."
She could hear the smile in his voice. "Well," she answered, "I don't think equals give each other orders."
"And you can keep talking about this or you can answer my question. What happened, sweetheart? Another bad dream?"
She sighed. "Have there been others?"
"Uh-huh. A few."
"I can't remember what it was about. I never can. It's not the Borg. But it's menacing. Maybe it's Commander Williams..." She was joking but suddenly she felt it. Yes, he had been in her dream. Chakotay was silent. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "you should try and get back to sleep."
"It's okay. It was him, wasn't it? He's an ass," he said quietly. "I was just thinking about what Commander Mueller said. I agree with him." He was once more silent for a few moments. "Williams is trying to imply that up until New Earth, I had been plotting a mutiny behind your back. And only because I fell hopelessly in love with you did I change my mind. What an ass ..."
She felt him tense up. "Chakotay... try not to think about him, okay? I'm sorry for bringing him up, I'm just worried, and I had a dream. Big surprise..."
"Kathryn, you shouldn't apologize for having a bad dream for pete's sake." He squeezed her gently, wanting her to take his strength, his comfort. He felt things were so completely out of his control, the one thing he could do was soothe his love if she needed it. Clearly she did.
"But you're right, he's an ass. I didn't realize how hard it would be to face officers in Starfleet, have them trying to twist our reality to fit their idea of the truth. To serve their selfish ends. To make themselves look good." She traced circles on his chest. The fire made some muffled pops. "Remember, everyone on that ship knows the truth, everyone. They can never make people who really matter think differently. They can't take that away from us..."
He said quietly, "Are you trying to convince me or yourself? That damned tribunal can put me..." stopping abruptly he felt like cutting his tongue out. "Now I'm sorry, Kathryn..."
She held him tightly while he stroked her, burying his face in her hair. When she finally spoke, her voice was so soft he barely heard her. "Tell me a story? About a woman warrior... who finds the man of her dreams and they live happily ever after and have two beautiful children and loving friends on Earth ... and no one bothers them and they get to spend the rest of their lives together..." Her throat tightened, she willed herself not to cry. A few deep breaths, a swallow or two, and concentrating on the feel of his hand against the small of her back her tears faded.
"There is a legend," he answered her just as softly, "about a very brave warrior woman who fell in love with an equally brave warrior. He loved her as deeply as she loved him. They traveled and fought hostile aliens over vast regions of space to get home, side by side with their friends and family..." He heard her breathing change but after waiting a moment, she mumbled what he took to be a request to continue. "So the legend says that after traveling many many light years they finally found their way home, a beautiful planet of blue oceans and continents with every type of vegetation they had ever seen, even in their travels so far away. The woman warrior and her warrior lover were content and happy to be home. Then they met a donkey-man, a terribly unhappy soul who wanted to bring pain to the loving couple. But by an act of the spirits, donkey-man and his cohorts were transported to the far reaches of the galaxy..." Her breathing was now rhythmically moving her chest against his. He rolled onto his back, pulling her into the crook of his arm where she unconsciously snuggled into him.
After a few minutes of listening to her sleep he was beginning to drift off. "The cohorts and donkey-man were left out in the far galaxy for years," he continued quietly to himself, "and they finally understood what the warriors had been through...." He pondered what he'd like to do to donkey-man for another few minutes until sleep finally claimed him, too.
There were many many things he loved to do in his life. During the past year, and particularly the past week, he discovered one thing he loved to do above all others. He loved to turn his Kathryn, his stalwart, hard-nosed, efficient, death-glare giving Captain, into melted butter. In his arms, his tongue swirling against hers with his hardness fully sheathed inside her. Her every moan, sigh, groan, nibble, pinch, lick and squeeze made his heart soar. If he had to rate it on a scale of one to ten for personal pleasure he'd give it an eleven. It was more than the fact that he loved her. Or that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever known. Or that she had been strength personified during their long journey home. He simply loved to see and feel her melt under his ministrations. He loved to show her that he was completely hers. He loved to see that she was completely his.
The hot water hit his legs and lower back but was missing her entirely. She was pinned between him and the shower wall, her legs securely wrapped around his hips, her right arm around his neck. Her left hand was being held against the wall as well, giving him easy access to the inside of her wrist, where he was tracing the symbol for infinity lazily on her skin, causing her to shudder and moan into his mouth. He was inside her, in heaven. A chance taken during their morning shower led to this time together. It might mean they would rush a little once they were out of the bathroom, but neither cared.
If he had to pick the one moment that gave him the greatest joy, he wouldn't necessarily pick the moment she found her release. Rather, it was the moment right before that. When she stilled, almost stopped breathing, when the world around them completely disappeared and he could actually feel her reach down into his soul and touch it. With golden finger tips. He usually tried to time it just right - when he felt her getting close he'd wait until the momentary quiet hit her, then go for an outstroke. So that when he plunged back into her she'd head over the edge, clenching around him, causing the stars to explode behind his eyelids as he'd give her everything he had, every last sperm, every last drop, he'd feel the soul dance happen in the minuscule space between their chests, light and heat shooting back and forth between their pounding hearts.
"Cha-ko-tay," she panted his name against his lips, her hips writhing in tandem with his thrusts. Some inarticulate sound followed the clarity of her mantra.
"My love," he whispered in her ear, moving his mouth away from hers momentarily. He wanted her to hear him as precisely as the haze of impending orgasm would allow. "I am yours... come with me..." He fell on her lips again, her moans mixing with his as their tongues did what they did best. The words had the desired effect. He felt and tasted her spiraling quickly. He slowed down his finger until the tip was just barely touching her skin, up and down between the silver. He was spiraling quickly as well and almost missed it, her change of breathing. She stilled. He drew out. Time stopped. He felt the charge, a leap in his chest as she made contact. He plunged. She climaxed with a cry, clenching down around him with force, he followed, climaxing hard as well, pushing up and up into her, as she began to contract and release him, milking him, taking him into her, stars and lights and muffled names and bliss, bliss, bliss the only things they were aware of.
He could hold them up no longer, and fell as softly as he could to his knees, taking her down the wall, holding her tightly, feeling her cling to him as tears rolled down both their faces.
They did end up rushing a bit, getting uniforms on, insignia attached, downing some breakfast, tea and coffee drunk on the move as they dressed. They managed to take a few minutes to call B'Elanna, to remind her to make eye contact with them as she sat in the witness box that afternoon. She assured them she was ready. They saw the familiar fire in her eyes, the look she reserved especially for ornery warp cores and uncooperative gel packs. Still, donkey-man was unpredictable and they worried between themselves after ending the call.
On this morning Lieutenant Commander Mueller met them at the transporter pad in HQ. One look at his face and they both knew that something was up and it wasn't good. He promised to get them through the gauntlet quickly this time and, clutching each other's hands, they walked through the building. He was right in his assessment of the crowd. How there could be more reporters than the day before was a mystery, but clearly the group had increased in size, vocality and muscle mass. They pushed their way through with Mueller 'no comment'-ing, Chakotay now with his arm around Kathryn's waist, and Kathryn just trying not to trip going up the stairs.
She didn't succeed, stumbled, and almost fell if it hadn't been for him catching her. He lost his composure momentarily, barking out a forceful "Back off!" to those reporters who had closed in on them. There was a stunned silence and, surprisingly, the crowd backed off. Enough for them to have a clear path up the stairs and into the courtroom.
"I apologize, Commander, for losing my cool back there," Chakotay said as the door shut behind them.
Mueller patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. They needed to hear it, and perhaps they needed to see the intrepid Commander Chakotay in action. Gave them some idea of why the Captain here would trust her ship to you, anyway."
"Gee, and here I thought I only did that so that I could get him into my bed," Kathryn muttered half to herself.
Chakotay laughed. "Gosh, Kath, you mean you didn't? A man's ego could get bruised here..." He was laughing for reasons he wasn't clear on. He just felt the need to break this god awful tension that instantly surrounded them when they stepped off the transporter pad.
Kathryn hit him lightly on the arm, beginning to laugh herself. She saw the gleam in his eye and felt a blush begin to creep across her face so she gave him a warning look. He winked. They were in the shower again. She blushed harder but smiled at him in complete understanding. He broke eye contact.
"So, what's the bad news this morning," he asked Mueller.
The attorney sighed grimly and led them to their meeting room. "It's pretty bad, I'm afraid. I've had people trying to track down Mr. Chell since yesterday afternoon. Those things that Williams claimed to have come from your ex-crewman were not in any deposition I received a copy of, nor were they in any conversation I had with Chell. I thought something was fishy about my meeting with him. Anyway, one of my contacts finally told my assistant that Chell was given a special assignment by Starfleet in Bolian territory, top secret, essentially making him a hidden trump card, unavailable for cross-examination..."
Kathryn interrupted him. "They hid him? I can't believe it..."
Chakotay looked at her, watching the disbelief move across her features. She was learning things he had already long known about almighty Starfleet. His heart ached for her.
"Captain," Mueller continued, "I'm sorry to say, I do believe it. Sometimes they have nothing on the supposed immorality of the Cardassians. Now, Chell. How dangerous can he be to us? How much of a loose cannon is he?"
Chakotay looked at Kathryn again. They were thinking the same thing. Like an unstable photon torpedo? "Tuvok was right," Chakotay answered. "He'll say anything and do anything to make himself look important, and he's as paranoid as they come. Now, what specifically he either made up or told them out of context? Who knows. Nobody could ever predict what was going to come out of Chell's mouth. The incident with Dalby, you know everything that I do. I don't know what the Maquis on Voyager talked about that could be damaging. I was trying, as you know, to establish a new order on board and kept myself away from my crew's socializing. To my regret. I might've noticed Seska and Jonas earlier and prevented alot of heartache for all of us..."
"Chakotay, don't say that," Kathryn said, grabbing his forearm. "Let it go..."
He silently nodded to her, but she could see the guilt still hooding his eyes.
"So," Mueller jumped in, "we could be faced with some surprises this morning. Ensign Vorik is first up, but I know what he's going to testify about. After that it's Jarvin, Henley, and Dalby. My meetings with them were a little strained, but I concluded they were telling me the truth. I got the distinct impression they would do anything to keep you from going to prison and they weren't really concerned with what Starfleet thought of them. So we'll just have to see. I have a plan on how to deal with the 'Chell factor'. Most of it depends upon whether the judge is aware that Chell has been taken care of, so to speak."
Kathryn's family surrounded them both when they finally entered the courtroom. Dinner the night before had been relaxed, Phoebe and Bill doing their best to talk about everything but the trial. Kathryn was more grateful than she thought she could adequately express. She had been receiving messages from other family members continuously, their new vidphone number making the rounds quickly. She sat between her mother and her cousin, six feet behind the man she loved, as the audience settled and attempted to quiet. The electricity in the air was palpable.
Admiral Paris, sitting a few people down the row, handed her a PADD with a smile and a greeting. Turning it on, she saw it was filled with messages from teachers around the country, asking the command team from Voyager to come and visit their school. Her heart swelled. Something to look forward to. Looking up at the chronometer she had a few minutes yet, so she stood and went to Chakotay, tapping him gently on the shoulder. She handed him the PADD, whispering in his ear, "This is our future, honey." To her astonishment, she heard the beeps of cameras going off behind them. She refrained from turning and giving them a good look, rather she exchanged a warm smile with her lover and sat back down. She watched him turn on the PADD and laugh softly to himself as he tapped and tapped, seeing just how many messages they had. He turned in his chair and graced her with a big, two dimpled smile.
"Ensign Vorik, in which department on Voyager did you work?" Williams spoke to him with reserved respect.
"Engineering."
"And your immediate supervisor was B'Elanna Torres?"
It wasn't lost on either Chakotay or Kathryn that her title had been left off.
"That is correct. Lieutenant Torres was the Chief Engineer on Voyager."
"Yes, but there was a time at the beginning of your journey through the Delta Quadrant when Lieutenant Torres was not the Chief Engineer, isn't that correct?"
"Yes."
"And were you witness to an altercation between then Maquis Torres and Lieutenant Joseph Carey, who was acting as the Chief Engineer?"
"Yes." There was a very slight hesitation in his answer, likely not noticed by anyone who didn't know of Vorik and B'Elanna's history.
"Can you tell the court what you witnessed?"
"Lieutenant Torres and Lieutenant Carey got into an argument. She hit him in the nose."
There were some titters heard in the audience. They stopped after the judge cleared his throat.
"And during the next few days did you happen to overhear a conversation between Crewman Jarvin, B'Elanna Torres and a woman named Seska?"
"Yes."
Mueller was waiting for a wrong move on William's part. He was disappointed.
"Did the content of this conversation cause you concern?"
"Yes, at the time it did."
"Was Seska a member of the Maquis?"
"Yes."
"And what did you do after hearing this conversation?"
"I entered the concerns into my logs and notified then Lieutenant Tuvok. He was the Chief of Security."
Williams handed Vorik a PADD. The Vulcan turned it on and perused the contents.
"Ensign, is that a copy of your log entry?"
"Yes."
"Would you read the entry please?"
Vorik briefly met Mueller's eyes. The attorney made no move to object. Vorik began to read.
"I have notified Lieutenant Tuvok of Mr. Jarvin's offer to help Ms. Torres and Seska in any Maquis mutiny attempt. Mr. Jarvin was quite passionate. I've consented to assist Mr. Tuvok in reporting any further conversations I hear, or any actions I observe that would not be in the best interest of Starfleet and the continued success of Voyager's mission to return to the Alpha Quadrant." Vorik looked up calmly.
"And there were other incidents you reported to Mr. Tuvok, correct?"
"Yes." Again, his commanding officers noticed the slight hesitation.
"When did you make the last report to Mr. Tuvok?"
"Prior to our being abandoned on the planet, approximately fifteen months into the journey."
"And was any action, that you know of, taken against those about whom you reported?"
"I am not privy to that information. I believe that Lieutenant Torres was confined to her quarters for a period of time after Lieutenant Cary's nose was broken."
"Thank you Mr. Vorik, I have no further questions." Williams sat down.
Mueller rose to the podium.
"Good morning, Ensign. Would you give me an example of something you reported to Mr. Tuvok after the nose incident?"
Williams bellowed, "Objection, your honor. Improper cross-examination."
"Overruled. Mr. Vorik, you may answer the question."
"Approximately seven months and 3 days into our journey I observed Mr. Jarvin accessing his work station during his off hours."
"And what was the outcome of this observation?"
"I was informed that Mr. Jarvin was working on some calculations that he had not completed during his duty shift."
"I see. Were there any further observations you made that had an equally benign explanation?"
"Yes. Apparently all of them."
"Did you, for example, notice anything unusual about crewman Jonas' behavior?"
"No, I did not."
"And yet, it was discovered that Jonas' was, in fact, working against the crew of Voyager. Did you notice anything unusual about Seska's behavior?"
"Yes, I reported this to Lieutenant Tuvok. Although this was at approximately the same time that her identity as a spy was being discovered."
"How do you know that?"
Williams popped up. "Objection, hearsay."
"I'll allow some leeway here. Overruled."
"Lieutenant Tuvok told me."
"And how did you respond to this information?"
"I concluded that I was not the most logical person to make observations about potentially mutinous behavior by the engineering crew."
The crowd began to laugh, only stopped by the judge hitting his desk pad.
"Thank you, Mr. Vorik, I have no further questions." Mueller sat down.
Williams had nothing further as well, calling Crewman Jarvin to the stand. The Security Officer left for the witness room.
Chakotay suddenly had one of his premonitions. Jarvin would not meet his eye either upon entering the room or sitting in the witness box. Something was up. He softly voiced his suspicions to Mueller. The lawyer nodded in understanding.
Williams was at the podium, his assistant speaking in his ear, too. The assistant sat. "Mr. Jarvin, you worked on the engineering crew while on Voyager, is that correct?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Do you recall a conversation between yourself, B'Elanna Torres and Seska a day or so after Ms. Torres broke Lieutenant Carey's nose?"
"No, I do not."
Chakotay's heart sank. Mueller began to softly tap his finger on the tabletop.
"You do not recall this conversation, or you do not recall Mr. Carey's nose getting broken?"
"I do not recall any specific conversation."
Williams hesitated, then, his voice rising, tried again. "Mr. Jarvin. We have heard testimony from Mr. Vorik as to the content of an offer you made Ms. Torres and this Seska regarding a mutiny. Are you saying you do not remember making this offer?"
"I do not recall that specific conversation."
While Williams and his assistant were conferring, Mueller leaned into his client. "Chakotay, why is he doing this?"
"I think he believes he's helping me. No mutiny talk, no mutiny thoughts, my integrity cannot be compromised. I'm just as surprised as you that he'd do it at this point..."
"He was up front about it all in his deposition..."
Williams returned to the podium. "Mr. Jarvin, do you recall answering questions in my office about the conversation?"
"Yes, I do recall you asking me about it."
Williams handed him a PADD, asking him to look it over. Jarvin did, then returned his stare to the prosecutor. "Mr. Jarvin, is that transcript accurate as to the questions I asked and the answers you gave?"
"Yes, it appears to be accurate, to the best of my recollection."
"Would you read the passage marked there?"
Jarvin nodded. "I did offer assistance should anyone make plans for a mutiny."
"Thank you, Mr. Jarvin. So are you saying that today, you do not recall this conversation?"
"You've refreshed my memory." Jarvin's voice had taken on an unpleasant edge to it.
"Yes, well, that will be all. I have no further questions." Williams sat down after giving the crewman a glare. Mueller called out that he had no cross-examination, not wanting to fuel the fire. Jarvin left the witness box.
For her part, Kathryn felt like strangling the man as he walked down the aisle, not meeting her eyes. She couldn't fathom what had gotten into him. Lying at this point was not going to help Chakotay, couldn't he see that? She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Williams called for Crewman Mariah Henley, again the Security Officer left to get her. And again, she met neither Chakotay's eyes or Kathryn's. She sat in the box, her chin up, her eyes defiant.
"Ms. Henley, were you present in the mess hall on the day that your former Captain, Mr. Chakotay, punched Crewman Dalby in the face?"
"Yes."
"So you are aware of a statement made by Mr. Chakotay to Mr. Dalby and the rest of you, are you not?"
"I do not recall any statement made by the Commander."
Chakotay was beginning to get seriously angry. He didn't need this, he was fully aware of that. Tell the truth, and let the chips fall. He glared at Henley, then felt the eyes of the judge upon him. He briefly shifted his stare to glance at the man. Chakotay saw something indefinable in the jurist's look.
"Are you telling this court that you do not recall Mr. Chakotay saying "We can try this the Maquis way..."
Mueller leapt to his feet. "Objection, your honor! Assumes facts not in evidence!"
Williams responded forcefully. "I have here statements given to the tribunal by Mr. Chell, statements allowed in evidence yesterday, during Mr. Tuvok's testimony."
To Mueller's dismay, the judge allowed the question to stand. He'd wait for the next opportunity...
"So, Ms. Henley, do you recall Mr. Chakotay making that statement prior to hitting Mr. Dalby in the face?"
"No, I don't recall that."
"Come, now, Ms. Henley, you have adequate hearing, do you not?"
"Yes, I do. I don't remember the Commander saying that."
"Fine. Do you recall making a statement of your own after Mr. Chakotay left the mess hall and Mr. Dalby had gone to sick bay?"
"No, I don't recall that."
"You didn't say "Finally, Captain Chakotay is back, I guess he never really left." ?"
Mueller jumped up again. He had his opening. "Your honor I request a sidebar."
The judge agreed and held the meeting away from the ears of the audience. Mueller took the initiative.
"Your honor, these statements by Mr. Chell were not disclosed to the defense. In addition, I have been informed that Mr. Chell is now unavailable for questioning by the defense. He has been assigned to a classified mission in Bolian space. His statements cannot be cross-examined. This is a blatant violation of tribunal rules of order and I strenuously object."
Mueller looked at Williams, who actually had the good grace to appear a little pale. Mueller realized his adversary was shocked that this deception had been uncovered.
"Commander Williams, do you have any response to these charges?" There was no question the judge was more than unhappy at this news.
"Your honor, it is true that Mr. Chell was unexpectedly called away on a mission, however, the defense had adequate time to depose this witness at their own leisure."
"Did you disclose the content of these statements to the defense?"
"We assumed Mr. Chell, being a former Maquis, and loyal to Mr. Chakotay, would have told the defense what he told us..."
The judge interrupted him, steel in his voice. "I don't want to hear any more. Mr. Chell's statements are hereby stricken from the record and you will not use them as testimony, do you understand?"
"But your honor..."
"Do you understand?"
Williams had no choice but to agree. The judge made the announcement once he was back in his chair. Any statement made by Mr. Chell was to be stricken and ignored as evidence. "Continue with your examination of Crewman Henley, Mr. Williams."
The prosecutor was once again conferring with his colleague. He returned to the podium. Chakotay could have sworn he saw a gleam in the man's eye.
"Your honor, I wish to consider this witness as hostile."
"Very well," the judge answered reluctantly.
"Ms. Henley, during your deposition, did you answer my question about what your Maquis Captain said before he hit Crewman Dalby?"
"I don't recall what your question was."
Williams hesitated. "When you joined the Maquis, did you ascribe to the Maquis code of honor?"
Mariah Henley was taken aback. She still refused to meet the stare of her former male Captain, not to mention the glare of her former female Captain.
"Do you need me to repeat the question?" Williams said, not masking his contempt.
"No," she answered in kind. "I believe in the code of honor, yes."
"And doesn't that code of honor state that when confronted with interrogation, no information will be given, no matter what the interrogators do to you?"
She hesitated. "Some people believe that's what was expected of you."
"Is that what you believe it to mean?"
"I promised to do my best to protect any fellow members of the Maquis, yes."
"And that would include your former Captain, Mr. Chakotay, correct?"
"He is a Commander in Starfleet now."
Williams' face was turning a pale shade of red and it wasn't an embarrassed blush. "Ms. Henley. Are you refusing to answer my questions in a subversive attempt to protect Mr. Chakotay?!"
Henley looked daggers at the prosecutor, but said nothing.
Williams slammed a PADD on the podium. "Your honor, let the record reflect that the witness refuses to answer the question. I have nothing further." He sat down hard on his chair.
Mueller was torn. There really was nothing to cross-examine since she had not answered any of the questions. And he didn't trust what was going to come out of her mouth about the Maquis, how she felt about protecting Chakotay, etc. He had no doubt what she was trying to do. "Your honor," he said directly to the judge, "May I have five minutes to confer with my client before I cross-examine this witness?"
The judge allowed it, over the very vocal objections of the prosecutor.
"Chakotay, this code of honor - is it real, written down anywhere or just implied? Does every Maquis pledge to it or something?"
"No, nothing like that. It's only as real as each cell leader makes it. In our cell, it was mostly implied, some of us talked about it, some people took it more seriously than others, but there was nothing written, nothing pledged under oath or anything."
"And Henley - how close is she to Jarvin and Dalby?"
"I think fairly close. They used to take holodeck time together. They ate together, though not exclusively. Look, Commander, you know I had nothing to do with this stunt, don't you?"
"Of course. I saw the Chakotay Stare shooting across the courtroom." Mueller's eyes glazed over as his mind raced. "Damn...." he muttered. "Did Henley ever give you the impression she was attracted to you on the Liberty or on Voyager?"
Chakotay groaned softly. "I have no idea. On the Liberty, I was involved with Seska and pretty much had blinders on, even after I stopped the relationship. And on Voyager, well, there was Kathryn..."
"Enough said. Okay, there's nothing I can do with her. Nothing that won't bring more attention to her stalling tactics." Mueller stood abruptly and addressed the judge. "Thank you for the time, your honor. The defense has no cross-examination of this witness." He sat.
Williams looked inordinately pleased. He called Crewman Dalby to the witness box.
Kathryn was ready to kill someone, preferably Henley and Jarvin. She was dearly afraid that Dalby would be added to the list. She tried to reassure her mother that everything was fine, but knew her mother was too smart to fall for it. The mutterings of the crowd during the five minutes had increased in volume. She turned around once Mariah Henley was seated next to Jarvin, amongst some of their Voyager crewmates. A few of them had some choice words to say to her, and him, which only hurt Kathryn's heart. These former Maquis were about to find that they weren't the only people acutely loyal to their first officer.
Crewman Kenneth Dalby entered the courtroom. He, too, kept his eyes focused on the wall over everyone's head as he sat. The chip that had been gone from his shoulder for the past five years was back. Both Chakotay and Kathryn could almost see it. A boulder, with a big, engraved "M" on it.
"Crewman Dalby, in the first year of your journey to the Alpha Quadrant, was there an occasion when the first officer, Mr. Chakotay, punched you in the face?"
Chakotay could see the determination on Williams' countenance. He wasn't going to stand for much.
"Yes."
"Was that because you were resisting the efforts of Lieutenant Tuvok to field train you as a Starfleet cadet?"
"Yes."
"And so your former Maquis captain punched you in the face. Did that make you want to attend Mr. Tuvok's training?"
"I felt obliged to give the training more of an effort, yes."
"Did you answer questions about this incident in the deposition you gave in my office?"
"Yes, I think so. My memory's not the best, though."
Williams snorted. "Do you recall what Mr. Chakotay said to you right before he punched you?"
"Not entirely. My head hit the floor when I fell, so things are a bit fuzzy." Dalby had the look of the innocent plastered on his face.
"In your deposition you stated that Mr. Chakotay convinced you to attend by using Maquis tactics. You seemed quite proud of your commanding officer because of it."
Mueller jumped up. "Objection, your honor. Mr. Williams is testifying."
"Sustained."
Dalby and Williams continued their visual standoff.
"Your honor, I would like to consider Mr. Dalby a hostile witness."
"Very well."
"Mr. Dalby, do you ascribe to the Maquis code of honor?"
Chakotay came very very close to throwing up his arms in resignation. He sighed, more loudly than he intended. He continued, however, to give Dalby the stare.
"When I was in the Maquis I followed the code of honor."
"Do you consider yourself to be a member of Starfleet now that you're back on Earth?"
"No, I don't." Kathryn wasn't surprised but she was disappointed.
"Do you still consider yourself to be a Maquis?"
Mueller stood. "Your honor, I object. There is no relevancy to this line of questioning. Mr. Dalby's self-identity is not at issue here."
"Although I'm not certain I'd agree with you entirely, I do think it's time to move on. Mr. Williams, do you have any further questions? I think we've established the limits of Mr. Dalby's memory."
This time Williams didn't look quite so inordinately pleased, but he didn't look distressed, either. He sat down without questioning Dalby further. Mueller did not cross-examine him. Chakotay was more than angry. Kathryn felt a scream coming on. The judge called for an hour recess.
Lunch again was taken in the meeting room behind court, and again the family was invited to join them. Mueller was assured he could speak freely, so Chakotay and he hashed out what had happened that morning with his former Maquis crew. Though Mueller tried to calm the tension, he couldn't lie and say their Maquis plan had succeeded. On the contrary, the stonewalling had only served to increase the speculation that Chakotay had been planning a mutiny with the loyal support of the Maquis on Voyager. That Chakotay didn't really see himself as a Starfleet Commander, he was merely playing a part, laying low, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Until New Earth. And after lunch it was B'Elanna's turn in the hot seat.
Chakotay tried to convince his attorney to ignore B'Elanna's request to testify on his behalf. He was more concerned than ever she was letting herself in for a nasty time of it. It could only backfire on her, he reasoned. His usual optimism was failing. Gretchen took some time to talk to him away from the group, sitting at the far end of the table, speaking quietly. Kathryn was grateful for the effort her mother was making and kept the conversation going at her end of the room to give them some privacy. Chakotay needed some mothering. She sent up a quiet prayer of her own for his ancestors to help him, now more than ever.
B'Elanna waddled into the courtroom, heading for the witness box. As she sat, she met the eyes of her friends and her husband, one by one. Chakotay was surprised at her appearance. She looked more pregnant today than she had just a few days ago, if that was possible. He didn't know it, but Kathryn was thinking the same thing behind him. She reached around her cousins to make contact with Tom who had arrived for the first time that day. He gave her a nervous smile.
"Lieutenant Torres, you were given a field commission by Captain Janeway seven years ago, correct?"
"Yes." B'Elanna's voice was strong, her gaze clear.
"You were in Starfleet Academy for just under one year, isn't that correct?"
"Yes."
"Who recommended that you receive the position of chief engineer on Voyager?"
"Commander Chakotay."
"And what qualifications did you have for the job of a Starfleet chief engineer?"
"I am a very good engineer. While in the Maquis I learned how to keep a ship running with very few supplies and replacement parts. I believe those are things that qualified me, given our situation."
"Mr. Chakotay lobbied quite strenuously for your appointment, didn't he?"
"I don't know, I wasn't there."
"He and Captain Janeway had a very loud argument over the topic, didn't they?"
"I didn't hear any argument."
"Did you hear of the argument?"
"I heard some rumors about it. I never asked."
"Mr. Chakotay told you that he wanted you to be the chief engineer, correct?"
"He informed me that he had made a recommendation to that effect, yes."
"Was that before or after he had been appointed the first officer?"
"After."
"I see. You and he had a close relationship while on the Liberty, isn't that correct?"
"Yes, you could say that. We were good friends."
"When he first told you about being chief engineer, did you want the position?"
"No, not particularly."
"You were a Maquis who had quit Starfleet Academy, right?"
"Yes."
"So you didn't want the position. You were good friends with the now first officer of Voyager, your former Maquis captain. He was well aware of your feelings about Starfleet. And yet he recommended you for a position you didn't want. Does that seem odd to you?"
"Odd? No."
"It's not odd that he ignored your feelings and lobbied heavily to get you into a position of power on board Voyager?"
Mueller stood. "Objection your honor to 'lobbied heavily'. There has been no testimony to that effect."
The judge paused. "I'll overrule that. Captain Janeway testified that the Commander was passionate in attempting to convince her to accept the recommendation. Lieutenant Torres, you may answer the question."
B'Elanna turned her eyes from the judge to the prosecutor. "Could you repeat the question, please?"
"Did you find it odd that Mr. Chakotay would lobby heavily to get you into a position of power, a position you had no interest in holding?"
She smiled. "No, I don't. The Commander, once he accepts a respon..."
Williams interrupted her. "Just answer the question, Ms. Torres. Thank you. So you accepted the position and embraced the values of Starfleet?" His tone was definitely sarcastic.
"I accepted the position and worked very hard to fit in and be a good supervisor."
"Subterfuge is practiced in the Maquis, isn't it?"
B'Elanna looked daggers at Williams. "Yes."
"And yet once the Maquis of the ship Liberty came on board Voyager, they forgot subterfuge?"
"Almost all of us did, yes, that's correct. We needed to survive, too."
"Yes, well, there's survival and then there's survival, isn't there?"
B'Elanna was about to try and answer that when Mueller jumped up. He, too, was prevented from speaking by the judge.
"Mr. Williams, you will confine your obtuse arguments for your summation. Do you have another question?"
Again, this admonishment seemed not to faze the prosecutor. "Now when you were on the Liberty, you participated in the illegal activities of the Maquis, correct?"
"I participated in the missions, correct."
"You assisted your Maquis captain in the destruction of Starfleet vessels, correct?"
"There were some vessels that attacked us. It was occasionally necessary to cause them damage. I kept the Liberty operable."
Williams gave her a very faint sneer. "Prior to you joining the Maquis you were running arms for them, were you not?"
"Not knowingly."
"You were the engineer on a ship that contained arms destined for the Maquis, correct?"
"Correct." B'Elanna tried not to meet Mueller's eyes. This was the opening they had hoped for.
"So you ran arms for the Maquis, correct?"
"That is incorrect. I was not aware at the time the ship contained arms. I had been told we were delivering humanitarian aid to colonies in the Neutral Zone."
"I see. Subterfuge even extended to the crewmembers of the smuggling vessels."
"I object, your honor, argumentative," Mueller called out.
"Sustained."
Williams didn't miss a beat. "How many arms were aboard this vessel?"
"I don't remember exactly, perhaps 20 containers worth."
"And it was after this mission that you were recruited by Mr. Chakotay to join the Maquis, correct?"
"Yes."
"He had no idea who you were, yet he asked you to join an underground, subversive, illegal movement?"
"Correct."
"He certainly did alot of recruiting." As Williams saw Mueller jump up in agitation, he withdrew the question. "Just one more question, Ms. Torres. Did you willingly punch the late Lieutenant Joseph Carey in the nose, breaking it?"
"Yes."
"Thank you. No further questions."
B'Elanna took a deep breath. She was beginning to feel just barely light-headed and concentrated her focus on Tom's face, meeting his clear blue eyes. She could easily see the lines of tension on his forehead. She rested a hand on her belly.
"Lieutenant Torres," Mueller said as he approached the podium, "let's go back to the ship that was transporting arms without your knowledge. The day you met Commander Chakotay. Did something traumatic happen to you on that day?"
Williams sprang up from his seat. "Objection! Relevancy, your honor."
"Commander Mueller, can you explain the relevancy of this line of questioning?"
"Yes, sir. The issue of Commander Chakotay's character has been brought forth by the prosecution. Lieutenant Torres has direct evidence as to the nature of his character, due to some events that took place on the supply ship, the day she met the Commander. The prosecutor has opened the door. I merely wish to take Lieutenant Torres through it to tell the entire story."
A small smile appeared on the corner of the judge's mouth. "Objection overruled. I would like to hear the entire story as well."
Williams sat down and began to confer with his co-counsel intensively. Mueller continued. "Lieutenant, you may answer the question. Did something traumatic happen to you that day?"
"Yes it did. Our ship was attacked by the Cardassians and subsequently boarded. There were only two of us as crew. The Cardassians killed the pilot. I attempted to hide out in the cargo bay, unsuccessfully. I was discovered and subsequently a Cardassian, Gul Tancret, indicated that he wanted to rape me. I fought him, but I was alone. He'd let me know that the containers had weapons in them, I tried to open one to maybe find a phaser but couldn't. We fought some more. The ship began to rock, I was almost crushed by a stack of crates. When I raised myself I came face to face with Commander Chakotay. He had killed not only Gul Tancret but the other two Cardassians who'd come into the cargo bay moments before that." B'Elanna took another deep breath, finding breathing more difficult than when she'd first come into the room.
"And Lieutenant, did the Commander take the arms and leave you to fend for yourself?"
"No, he took me to the Liberty, where I was given medical treatment for a broken jaw. He allowed me some time to heal, and eventually he talked to me about the Maquis. I was not a member and had never heard of the organization. I was just trying to survive, being an engineer for whoever would hire me. Commander Chakotay did not pressure me to join, but I felt a kinship with the group and wanted to help. So I became the Liberty's engineer."
"Do you think you would have survived the Cardassian's take over of the cargo vessel?"
"No, I don't."
"Do you think Gul Tancret would have succeeded in raping you?"
"Well, that I'm not sure of. I've thought about it. Many times. I had managed to find a phaser rifle so I may have been able to kill Tancret, but I wouldn't have been so lucky with the two Cardassians that Chakotay killed. I know I would've died fighting."
Mueller smiled sincerely. "I have no doubt of that, Lieutenant. Were you concerned when this stranger took you to his vessel, the Liberty?"
"No, I wasn't. He has a strong and somewhat imposing personality, but I knew instinctively that he wouldn't hurt me. I trusted him. He's never betrayed that trust. Never." She took a chance, meeting Chakotay's eyes for the first time since she began this part. She could see that he was still worrying, but she could also feel how much he loved her. She let him see her love as well.
"Now let's jump ahead a bit to your time in the Delta Quadrant. First of all, the incident where you punched Lieutenant Carey. Did the two of you resolve your differences?"
"Yes, we did. Joe was... he was an excellent engineer and a good friend."
"And how did his death affect you?"
Williams jumped up for the first time. "Objection on grounds of relevancy."
"I'll allow it, Mr. Williams. The prosecution has brought up the supposed animosity between the former Maquis and the Starfleet crews. Lieutenant, answer the question."
B'Elanna tried to focus on the judge as she turned her head but was momentarily distracted by the baby. She kicked ferociously. Her mother breathed deeply before continuing. "Joe's death was very difficult for me. I, well, I just missed him. The entire engineering crew had a very hard time adjusting to his absence, not just because his work wasn't done. Joe was gone. It was hard. Painful. I was very angry."
"Regarding your appointment and field commission. Was there any subversive plot to get you this position?"
"No."
"Do you know why Captain Janeway picked you over Lieutenant Carey?"
"Yes, I proved to her that I was the better engineer. She and I had the opportunity to be alone, together, on a shuttle and talked. She allowed me to see that I could succeed at the job, that I could work effectively within Starfleet parameters. We came to an understanding."
"Did you ever do anything to compromise the safety or survival of the U.S.S. Voyager?"
"No."
"Did you feel loyalty to Captain Janeway and Starfleet during your first few months on board?"
"No, not particularly."
"And who changed your mind? Adjusted your attitude?"
"Commander Chakotay. And Captain Janeway."
"Did you ever see, hear, or experience any action taken by the Commander that compromised the safety or survival of the U.S.S. Voyager or her crew?"
"No," B'Elanna lied. She met Kathryn's eyes. Her former captain nodded to her almost imperceptibly.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. I have nothing further."
Mueller had barely left the podium before Williams arrived, PADD in hand.
B'Elanna kept trying to breathe, she was just finding it more and more difficult. Chakotay tensed, watching her, feeling not only her anxiety and his own, but the waves of anxiety flowing over him from the rows of spectators. He willed himself to stay facing forward, and for his hands to unclench. Kathryn picked up her mother's hand and held it tightly. Tom shifted his precious cargo from hand to hand until he felt his father pat him softly on the back, calming him enough to really look his wife in the eye. B'Elanna's gaze locked with his. The voice of the enemy snapped them out of it.
"Ms. Torres. You've stated that you were only one of two crewmembers on board this cargo ship. Is that a normal Maquis crew compliment?"
"I was not Maquis at the time. For a cargo ship, I believe that's pretty normal in that part of space."
"Yes... you've testified that you weren't Maquis until you met Mr. Chakotay. The pilot of this cargo ship, did you consider him a friend?"
B'Elanna was confused by the direction the questions were taking. What difference would it make if she were friendly with the Bolian pilot? "I didn't have any friends at this time. He and I were friendly. He was a good man. He didn't deserve to die."
"And he didn't tell you that he was in the Maquis, in all the time you were working together?"
"That's right."
"So there you are, in the Neutral Zone, your pilot has been killed, Cardassians are swarming over the ship and one of them takes the time to have sex with you?"
"We didn't have sex. He was trying to force himself on me, yes."
"Did he say he wanted to rape you?"
"He implied it. He made suggestive comments and touched me."
"That doesn't sound like rape, does it?"
B'Elanna willed herself to remain calm, but the battle was being lost. "He let me know that he could overpower me by his size, and that he'd always wanted to take a Klingon woman. He touched me."
"And you allowed it, didn't you?"
"I didn't see that I had much choice. He was twice my size. He had a weapon. I did not."
"Yet you are Klingon, and you did state that you fought with him. He couldn't have presented that much harm to you, could he?"
She couldn't help it, her mouth gaped open in astonishment. She closed it. "I am half-Klingon, not that that makes any difference. I let him get close to me then I body slammed him. He was stunned enough for me to put some distance between us and try to find a weapon."
"And that's when he got really angry, correct?"
"Yes."
"So this Cardassian attempts to have sex with you, you rebuff him, he gets angry and tries to attack you when who should come to your rescue but Chakotay the Maquis. That sounds very romantic, doesn't it?"
"Romantic? Hardly!" B'Elanna was beginning to get light-headed again and her abdomen suddenly felt very heavy. She breathed. It didn't help.
"Oh, I don't know, strong, handsome, dark Maquis captain acts as a hero to the young woman. Did you perceive him to be your hero?"
"At the time I did think of his actions as heroic, yes."
"As you said, you were young at the time. Did you form an attachment to this man who had performed what you saw as an heroic act on your behalf?"
"Yes, I did feel an attachment to him. I still do." Another deep breath was taken that made no difference.
"Were you in love with him?" Williams did not try to hide his sneer.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tom start to rise. His father put a hand on his shoulder. She looked at the prosecutor and saw a pig. "No." She knew now that was not a lie. She was infatuated, yes. In love, no.
"Yet, you immediately joined the Maquis and fought along side of this relative stranger."
"Yes."
"I think that sounds very romantic. Heroic Maquis warrior, rescues a young woman from supposed imminent danger, takes her under his wing, she follows him to the ends of the galaxy fighting along side..."
Mueller had had enough. "Objection! Argumentative!"
The judge responded harshly. "Mr. Williams. Confine yourself to questioning. I will not remind you again!"
Surprisingly, Williams apologized. Like hell you're sorry, B'Elanna thought.
"So Ms. Torres, you leave your life behind and join the Maquis at the suggestion of Mr. Chakotay, correct?"
"Yes, I joined the Maquis." How many times are you going to ask me this?
"You state you were not in love with the Maquis Chakotay. Were you in lust with him?"
B'Elanna saw red. She also saw Tom jump up, pushing past his father's hand. Owen Paris jumped up as well, pulling Tom back down and their hushed voices drifted over to her. The room faded a bit as she tried to formulate an answer.
"Ms. Torres! Can you answer the question?" Williams' beady eyes caught her.
Chakotay was getting more seriously concerned for her. He saw her turning slightly pale. He turned around, but Tom was still talking with his father. He looked back and tried to will her to look at him. Come on, 'Lanna ...
"I apologize, your honor," she said turning to the judge. Facing front again, she answered with quiet force. "No. I was not in lust with him." Only she, a few aliens, Tom and maybe Chakotay knew she was lying this time.
"Yet you saw him as your hero?"
"Yes. I've already said that!" Through her anger she could feel something odd in her abdomen. She tried to focus.
"I find it hard to believe that a young woman with passionate Klingon blood in her veins wouldn't have found this heroic Maquis attractive, so attractive she would be willing to do or say anything to help him in front of this tribunal!" Williams pounded the podium.
Mueller shot up, calling out his objection, but B'Elanna had raised herself, beyond furious, banging her fists on the barrier in front of her, shouting, "He is my BROTHER! .... "Sustained! Mr. Williams...." .....she fainted in the chair.
"B'Elanna!" Chakotay was up and racing toward her, catching her before she slumped all the way to the floor. The courtroom erupted in noise as the entire front row of the audience was up and trying to follow Chakotay. Kathryn felt a frantic tug on her sleeve, she turned and Tom pressed the portable holoemitter into her hand. "I can't, my hands are shaking..." he cried.
"Go, Tom..." She pushed the tiny buttons as quickly as she could as Tom darted past her, followed by Owen Paris clutching a medkit. The Doctor appeared, took one look around and said "Where is she?" Kathryn tugged him into the aisle, pointed to the men crowding around the witness box and they raced to join them. Tom's mother and Tuvok followed close behind.
Tom was now supporting his wife, kneeling down, the chair pushed back, Chakotay right next to them both, holding her hand. Owen gave the Doctor the kit.
"Doc..." Tom pleaded to his mentor.
The Doctor ran the tricorder over the still unconscious B'Elanna. "It's okay, Tom, she's just fainted ... a little hypertensive.... and," he paused, scanning her belly, "she's two centimeters dilated. She's in labor. What is she doing up here in labor?" He asked as though they all had conspired to put his patient in the gravest possible harm from sheer stupidity, as only he could. His question was met with momentary, stunned silence. He pulled out a hypospray and injected it into her neck, muttering to himself. "A little neopropaline, B'Elanna, and you'll feel almost good as new..."
Tom found his voice at last. "Labor?! Doc, she's not due for another few weeks!" He looked down at his love and noticed for the first time that her waters had broken. She was drenched.
"Well, with the possibility of either a Klingon labor or a human one, the due date always was an estimate, you remember that, Mr. Paris? Don't worry," he said as he continued to scan. "The baby is fine, fully formed and fully engaged with her head pointing down. Your daughter's on her way!" He finished with a flourish, smiling broadly at the humans surrounding him, who only looked back at him blankly.
B'Elanna began to come around, moaning slightly. She met Chakotay's eyes first. "What the hell happened Chakotay..."
He laughed softly and everyone joined him, the tension broken, the woman on the floor staring at the people hovering around her.
"What? Why am I so wet... Kahless," she moaned again.
The tricorder beeped. "It's just a contraction, B'Elanna," the Doctor reassured her. She groaned softly. Tom held her hand and talked to her quietly.
Admiral Paris backed away slightly and tapped his chest. "Admiral Paris to Doctor Reilly. We need a gurney up here in the tribunal court, now! "
"Aye, Admiral."
"Admiral, she cannot be transported, she must be taken over land to the medical facility," the Doctor stated unequivocally.
"NO!" B'Elanna shouted. "I will not have my baby in a facility! We're going home." She turned to her husband. "Tom. We've talked about this. Home."
"But B'El, honey, we haven't even found a doctor to do a home birth yet, or a midwife even. We had appointments this week..." he said with a chuckle.
"I don't care." She looked at the holographic man. "Doctor, you can do it, can't you? Please?"
All eyes turned to Voyager's medical officer. "Me? Why, I'd be honored B'Elanna, if you are quite certain. And of course if Tom agrees..."
The gurney arrived with two medics, bursting through the doors, causing the group to turn for the first time. The entire courtroom was watching, standing tensely. Chakotay noticed Williams and his assistant were the only ones ignoring the scene, heads bent together over their table. Time seemed to suddenly crawl, the medics pushing so slowly through the parting crowd. He looked at the tribunal, their faces stoic. His eyes traveled up to the judge, leaning over his desk, looking down at them, meeting Chakotay's glance, an indefinable emotion seen. Just as suddenly as time slowed, it returned to normal speed, the medics rushing up to them, he and Tom lifting B'Elanna onto the soft mattress as she complained that she didn't need help. The two men, by silent consent, ignored her, placing her gently down, smiling at each other.
Tom went to his father. "Dad..."
"Don't worry, Tom, I'll arrange transport home."
Kathryn had joined Chakotay next to the gurney. The woman in labor looked from one to the other when suddenly her eyes got wide. She grabbed Chakotay's arm, hard.
"The blessing, Chakotay! We have to do it, you promised..." she pleaded.
"Of course we do, don't worry," he assured her. He looked around quickly for his attorney. There was no way he was going to subject his friends to the publicity. He waved Mueller forward, then told him what they needed. Mueller went to talk with the judge. Chakotay was surprised at the swiftness with which he saw the man nod his head and point to the back rooms. The Commander returned and confirmed what had been seen.
"Tom," Chakotay called softly to him, "we need to do the blessing, we have permission to go in the back..."
No further discussion was needed. Again the two friends took charge of the woman laying down in front of them, and with the assistance of Kathryn, followed by the Doctor, Owen Paris and his wife Marie, they moved into the back hallway. Tuvok and Mueller stayed just inside the courtroom. Nobody around the gurney noticed the judge slip into the hall behind them.
While the Doctor continued to scan B'Elanna, Owen Paris approached Chakotay with his hand extended.
"Commander Chakotay, I'm Owen Paris. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."
Chakotay shook the offered hand warmly. "Thank you, sir. It's certainly a pleasure to meet you as well. I've heard alot about you over the years," he answered with a grin.
The Admiral laughed. "Yes, I'm sure you have. So, tell Marie and me what to do..."
"You two can stand on B'Elanna's left side, just place your hands anywhere on her that feels comfortable for you. Kathryn and I will be on this side, and Tom," he interrupted the father to be speaking quietly in his wife's ear. "Tom, you know what to do..."
"Aye, Commander," Tom said with a soft laugh.
"Tom... you're getting entirely too excited..." Chakotay answered him with an equal laugh.
"Sorry. Ok, Chakotay ..." Tom moved to stand directly behind B'Elanna's head, his hands on either side of her face. "I'm ready. You ready, hon?"
She just nodded, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Owen and Marie placed their hands gently on their daughter-in-law. Kathryn placed her right hand on B'Elanna's leg, her left one on Chakotay's back, needing to feel him, too. He smiled at her then turned to his friend.
"B'El, we'll need to wait until the next contraction has passed," he said, placing his hands on her belly, moving his eyes to meet the Doctor's.
"Commander, I think one is due very shortly..." The tricorder was still going, and just as B'Elanna began to groan, Chakotay felt the contraction start. Tom reminded her to breathe through it and the groaning stopped. Eventually, her eyes opened again, seeking the Doctor's. He nodded. "It's over." She looked at Chakotay and their glance locked for a moment.
"I love you, too, B'El," he said softly to her as she smiled. "Now, close your eyes and picture your baby daughter, waiting to come and be with her parents." He looked around at everyone, then moved his hands around her belly, finally resting them flat against her.
He shut his eyes slowly and bowed his head, taking three very deep breaths to still his nerves and touch his center. When he felt the connection, he spoke.
"Akoochimoyah. Akoochimoyah. Little one, very blessed daughter of Tom and B'Elanna, conceived in love and proof of devotion given. Grandchild of Owen and Marie, John and Miral. Godchild of the very honored Chakotay and Kathryn. We've come together out of unspoken love for you. May your journey into this world be swift and smooth .... may your first breath be filled with joy and wonderment for the new world around you .... may you feel the comfort of your mother's heart beating in time with your own as you lay on her skin .... may you see the love in your father's and mother's eyes when you open yours for the first time .... may you feel peace as your loved ones surround you with the strength of clan and Kahless. May you embrace the welcome we send you now. At the beginning. Akoochimoyah." He took another very deep breath, leaned over and kissed B'Elanna's belly.
Kathryn kissed her fingertips and placed them on the same spot. Tom followed, and without hesitation Owen and Marie did, too. Even the Doctor took the opportunity.
Chakotay looked down into B'Elanna's face and wiped a tear falling out of her eye. She propped herself up on one elbow and reached for him. They embraced tightly. "Thank you," she whispered, "thank you. I love you..."
"I know. Promise me one thing - you'll listen to the Doc..."
"I'll try," she said, pulling back and hitting him gently on the arm.
Tom came around to him and after a moment's hesitation, the two men gave each other a strong hug, slapping each other on the back as men are wont to do. While they were speaking in hushed tones, Kathryn took the chance to talk to B'Elanna relatively alone.
"You'll do fine, B'Elanna, I have complete faith in you," she said warmly.
"She's really coming, isn't she Kathryn?"
"Yes, she really is. She needs her mother." Again, a tight embrace was given, tears falling freely.
"I hate to break up this touching scene, but we really must get my patient home and in bed," the Doctor piped up, though with a gentle tone in his voice.
The Admiral began to speak over the comm to the chief medical officer on site, arranging transport. Another contraction came on. Marie hugged Kathryn, promising her they'd take good care of the mother-to-be. She then offered one to Chakotay, and a thank you, both of which he gratefully accepted. Owen shook his hand, reiterating the promise his wife had just made. Kathryn told him they'd call as soon as they could. With one last good-bye between the four friends, the gurney was swiftly moved back through the door into the courtroom.
Chakotay and Kathryn followed, vaguely aware of Tuvok, Mueller and finally the judge trailing behind them. They walked as far as the defense table, clutching hands, seeing the crew calling good wishes to their friends and the baby on the way as the gurney headed for the main door.
It swooshed open and within a long nanosecond swooshed shut again. They
stood, unable to move, still holding hands, a tumult of emotions moving
through them, finally feeling overwhelmed by the reality. The stakes were
suddenly very high.
End Part 12
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