Ch 5: Garou
Kathryn awoke slowly, resisting the sensation.
“C’mon, Captain. The An’Anaki are calling again.”
Chakotay and the Doctor hovered above her. Chakotay turned to the side and addressed the Doctor, “Are you sure she’s up to this?”
The Doctor shrugged. “I’d rather she stayed here. The last few weeks have been exhausting for her and a little sleep would do her good. But her legs have healed quickly, so medically she’s fit for duty. As long as there’s no more running in the woods planned.”
Awake, Janeway sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the biobed in one motion. She paid for it a few moments later as the blood rushed to her feet and her head swam. Chakotay looked at her with concern, but she waved him off.
“What’s the matter?”
“We’ve arrived at the An’Anaki capital, Garou. Yerivat wants us to attend some sort of ceremony today in front of their government.” He gave her a sceptical look before continuing, “If you’re not up to it, I’ll go alone.”
Again, Janeway waved him off. “He’ll just badger me into going. Did he say which uniform we’re supposed to wear?”
“The Captain’s robe, why?”
“At least it’s comfortable. I don’t think I could manage an An’Anaki ceremony in those stiff grey uniforms.”
Chakotay smiled, and helped her off the table. “I’ll meet you in the transporter room in 15 minutes.”
*
Dressed as An’Anaki Captains, Janeway and Chakotay materialized before the imposing seat of An’Anaki government. The ziggurat of Aourea was a mere molehill compared to the mountain before them. Built of red sandstone, the multi-tiered building rose above the plain. The dry heat and beating sun reminded Janeway of Vulcan, and made her thankful for the loose robes she wore.
A male Emissary carrying a staff approached them from the bottom of the steps. “The High Council is waiting.”
Without a word, they fell into step with him, walking up the long stairway to a set of massive metal doors. As they approached the doors, the emissary reached out and struck the doors with the metal head of his staff. The noise resonated through the doors, and a few moments later, they slide open silently.
Quickly they walked through the antechamber, and up another long flight of stairs. Every surface they passed by held intricate carvings, depicting scenes of battle, of feasts, of harvest. It was only when her first officer trudged up the stairs without so much as glancing at the scenes that she realized how much his Right of Captaincy had taken out of him. Unfortunately, she had no time to worry about him, as they arrived at a second set of metal doors. Again, the Emissary rapped the surface with his staff. This time, as the doors slid open, they heard the murmur of a crowd. Entering, they found not the hundreds they’d expected, but rather thousands of people, dressed in robes of every colour, each engaged in their own conversations.
The seats were arranged as in an auditorium, sloping upward towards the back of the room. No one seemed to be sitting, however, preferring to congregate in groups, sometimes of one colour robe, sometimes in a range of colors. Janeway recognized the red of the Skoudra, the indigo of the Kaliphts, the yellow of the Keepers, and the Orange of the man who branded her. The blue and green were a mystery to her.
Above the main seating, were two galleries. The first held white clad Captains. The second, a mix of colours, though not in any uniform arrangement. She thought they might be civilians, dressing as they wished. They seemed chaotic amid the orderliness of the An’Anaki government.
The Emissary directed them to two chairs on the centre dais, beside a riser on which was perched a massive carved throne. Before they could sit down, a door on the side of the podium opened, admitting two grey-clad An’Anaki. Each also wore a brushed steel helm, and carried a black standard with a thin line of Yellow running along the bottom. Janeway saw that the two men each sported a different colour piping as an accent, one green one blue. The An’Anaki in the crowd took no notice of the guards entering the room.
Behind the first set of standard bearers, followed a thin man dressed in charcoal with red piping carrying a staff, and a woman dressed in the finest black silk, bordered in yellow. Two more guards finished the procession, one with purple accents, and the other with orange.
The woman stood before the throne, and the charcoal man struck the staff against a metal plate on the floor, creating a deep clang that resonated through the chamber and over the hubbub. Immediately, the crowd reacted, quieting their conversations, and taking their seats by uniform. Once calm, the woman addressed her crowd.
Though there was no acoustic system that Janeway could discern, her voice seemed to carry without effort. “I welcome Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay to our Hall. They are part of another government, the United Federation of Planets, a powerful and beneficent government in the Alpha Quadrant.”
There was not so much as a murmur, and Janeway suspected that once again the crowd already knew about them, and probably knew what was to happen.
The woman continued, “Though strangers to us, both have won the right to be called Captain in our space, and demonstrated their courage in a conflict with the Cratau. Kalipht Emnari has petitioned for their Elevation. Is there any sect who would take them?”
As one, a representative from each group rose. Each held their hands horizontally palms out, fingertips touching, except the Skoudrid. He held his palms up.
The woman nodded, “Then you shall become Skoudra. Begin the Elevation immediately.” Without another word, she rose and left with her entourage. As Janeway was escorted from the building, she saw the crowd rise again and begin to file out of the auditorium. She wondered what could have been important enough to attract such a gathering for so few minutes.
*
Once again the emissary met them, this time leading them back through the massive doors. Once in the foyer, they turned left, heading through a small but ornately carved and into another space, almost identical to the one they’d just left. Though the relief on the walls appeared to be different, the dimensions matched the Kalipht’s anteroom.
Quickly, their guide led them up a long staircase to the left of the massive doors that again dominated the room. At the top of the staircase was yet another door, inlaid with the same artistry as those previous. Idly, Janeway wondered how many craftsmen had been required to create the rich artwork around them.
Silently, the Emissary opened the door, holding it wide, but making no move to enter. Taking the cue, Janeway and Chakotay passed through the entrance unescorted.
Inside they found a low ceilinged room, lit only by torch light. In place of the artwork was carved row upon row of text. In the centre of the room was a small circular table with a bottle of absona and a collection of wooden cups.
From out of the shadows stepped Yerivat. His crimson robes had hid him well. “Captains, I greet you.”
Janeway inclined her head, “it’s good to see you again, Skoudrid.”
Yerivat smiled, “and you Captain. I’m glad your injury was not serious. I would have hated if you had done yourself harm while rescuing me.”
Janeway’s lip inched up in a rueful smile. “If I’d paid more attention, I would never have fallen off a cliff trying to rescue your Emissary.”
Another figure stepped from the darkness; this one sporting robes of deepest indigo. “This Emissary thanks you for your efforts. I would have been unhappy to end my days in the hands of the Cratau.”
Confused, Janeway looked first at the Kalipht, then back at Yerivat. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t understand.” To Janeway’s knowledge, she’d never seen the alabaster white woman standing before her. The Emissary she’d tried to rescue had been of the same species as Yerivat, with fangs and stripes to match his.
The Kalipht inclined her head slightly, “forgive me, Captain, for the deception. I am Kalipht Emnari. It is not permitted for Kaliphts to travel off world, but I believed that it was imperative that I attend your Right of Captaincy. The deception is a common one, though it is still necessary.
“Because of your bravery, I asked to be present at your ascension to Skoudrid. I hope you will permit this.”
Glancing quickly at her first officer, Janeway nodded, “we would be honoured.”
Smiling broadly, the Kalipht replied, “then Yerivat, let’s begin.”
*
A bottle of absona later, the four were deep in a telepathic trance.
*So Kathryn, Chakotay, how do you feel?*
Chakotay managed to answer Yerivat first. *Drunk. Uninhibited and without control.*
They could feel Yerivat smile. *You are right, Chakotay, absona does lower inhibitions. It allows us to open our minds to others. But as Skoudra, you must learn to control the absona.
*Kathryn, you’ve had more experience as a captain, so you may begin. Ask Chakotay something.*
Janeway thought for a moment, then responded, *I don’t know what to ask.*
Again the Skoudrid smiled, *ask him about his Right of Captaincy.*
*Sing to me of your Right of Captaincy, Chakotay.*
The song he sang for her was of a completely different event than the one she’d experienced. Gone was the pomp and ceremony of her time on Aourea. Instead, her first officer was ushered into a utilitarian room on a Starship with four captains and the emissary present to witness the Right. Yerivat performed the Ascension himself, conducting a bare-bones version of Janeway’s own Right. Once sure that Chakotay was telepathically present, he had demanded just one thing: that Chakotay relive his fear.
That part at least proved instructive to Janeway, as she gained an insight into her first officer she would have never achieved otherwise. Much of his memory predated their association. She watched him learn of Wolf 359, hide from the Cardassians on a planet in the badlands, and saw him run from a Starship, dodging plasma storms to escape. Then the memories became familiar, and she felt herself drawn further into the vision, taking Chakotay’s place in his personal history. She rammed her ship into the Caretaker’s array, watched Seska’s betrayal, and felt her own mind slipping away in chaotic space.
Most bizarre, however, were the memories with herself as a major player. She felt the desperation as she performed CPR on herself, and knew the pit of her stomach as she watched her own doppelganger beam away to the borg. It was in those moments that she understood him best, his sense of duty and what kept him awake at night.
Abruptly, the memory ended with Chakotay’s brand. Never was he asked, as she had been, to sing of hope, and she could feel the heavy emotional toll that had been exacted upon her first officer as he relived his darkest moments. She had been physically exhausted by her ordeal, but he’d been emotionally destroyed.
Without hesitation, she commanded him once more, *Chakotay, sing to me of hope.*
Instantly, she could feel him relax. She knew the tensions that he had taken into his body were being released. After a moment, an image formed in her mind.
She was standing beside herself, ploughing a field by hand. Their small plot was part of a clearing in a forest. To the north, a calm azure lake was shining in the sun. To the west she could make out a small collection of buildings. All around them in the fields were members of the crew. A few metres off she could see Tom and B’Elanna working together. Further away she could make out Tuvok, Kim, Neelix, The Doctor, Ayala, and numerous other familiar faces. At last her gaze settled on her double. Her alternate looked up from her work for a moment and allowed a lazy, trouble free smile to grace her features.
Startled, Janeway nonetheless found her own muscles form an answering grin. Satisfied, her double returned to work, and Janeway found herself back on the An’Anaki homeworld in the company of the Skoudrid, the Kalipht, and her first officer.
*
Slowly, carefully, Janeway peeled off her Captain’s jacket. After 18 hours on the surface spent digging around in people’s minds, she’d never been happier to be back onboard Voyager. In the background she could hear water pouring into her bathtub. She could already feel her stiff muscles unknotting in anticipation of a long soak. With the physical response came a parallel mental relaxation, as her thoughts slowed and gradually organised themselves.
It was as she was stepping out of her pants that she finally realised that something was bothering her about the day. Knowing that a bath could only help her understand the problem, she stepped gingerly into the tub and slid under the hot water. Just as her head submerged, her thoughts finally coalesced, sending her back above the water with a start.
Chakotay had hoped that Voyager’s crew would end up on a planet. But not Earth, and not any planet she recognized from the Alpha Quadrant. Did he hope that they would be stranded, or could he even be plotting to keep them in the Delta Quadrant permanently? Suddenly his comments about finding a planet to settle on before their first encounter with the Borg took on a new meaning. What if he’d been working based on a larger conspiracy? Janeway knew that she was being paranoid, that nothing in her first officer’s behaviour indicated such a plan, but she also knew that she wouldn’t fully trust him until she’d had a chance to ask him.
With a sigh, she towelled herself off and put her An’Anaki robes back on. A moment later she was out the door.
*
Chakotay slowly opened his eyes at the sound of the door chime. He’d just knelt down, preparing to contact his spirit guide. Instead he sighed at the interruption and called out, “come.”
Into his quarters strode his Captain, still dressed as he, as an An’Anaki. Her skin was flushed, and her wet hair hung heavily down her back. It was obvious that something was bothering her.
Immediately Chakotay rose, thoughts of contacting the other realm forgotten as his attention turned to his Captain.
“Captain?” he’d never seen her so out of sorts.
She seemed to gather her thoughts before responding, “Chakotay, I need to ask you about what happened today.”
Immediately his thoughts began to race, trying desperately to ferret out what could possibly have her so agitated. “What is it?”
Taking a breath, she asked, “When you sang of hope, are you hoping that we wouldn’t make it back to the Alpha Quadrant? That we’ll be stranded out here?”
Sighing, Chakotay gestured toward his couch.
“Captain, what I shared with you today, that is my deepest dream, and very personal. I never thought another person would know of it.”
Her expression softened at his statement. The An’Anaki Right was all about opening doors the participant wished kept closed. The feelings and vulnerabilities she had about her own experience would no doubt be worse for her first officer. The rapid-fire Captain’s and Skoudra’s Rights, as well as the added discomfort of having someone he knew and worked with privy to his most personal thoughts and feelings must have been disturbing to say the least.
“Then what is it you want, Chakotay? What would make you happy?”
With a sigh, he dropped his head into his hands. “What I’d like more than anything is for this crew to have a chance to rest and live their lives. Whether it’s out here or back in the Alpha Quadrant, I want us to stop this interminable journey and live life. I don’t want us to die looking only toward some distant sun and never experiencing the here and now.”
It was Kathryn’s turn to sigh. She understood the fear that lay just beneath the surface of his words. He was afraid, as she was, of failing their crew. The difference was how they defined that failure. Janeway, ever the Starfleet Captain, saw triumphant return as the only option. Chakotay, the more pragmatic first officer realised that for the crew’s sake, settlement in the delta quadrant would also be reasonable, and preferable to a skeleton crew arriving home in 30 years.
Now that she understood his feelings, she realised she knew no way to address them. Instead, she stood, placing a hand on his shoulder, and said quietly, “I’ll see you at 07:00 for transport.”
Relieved that she didn’t wish to delve further into his mind, he nodded mutely, and watched as she slipped through the doors and out of his quarters.
*
“Captain Chakotay, today you will learn to control the Absona. Ask Kathryn something.”
Chakotay sighed, releasing some of the tension that had been building within him since the previous night’s confrontation with Janeway. After her departure, he’d been unable to sleep, and so had started reading the files in the data packet Yerivat had given him. He’d learned that the Right of Captaincy was the An’Anaki response to the fear induced paranoia that had led to the massacre of the Routal. The An’Anaki had been determined that the decision makers of their people would be those that could continue to act rationally in the face of fear. Since fear was such an important component of the Right, Chakotay decided to begin his inquiries there.
*Captain, sing to me of fear.*
Instantly, he was transported to a darkened square at the base of a temple. After a moment, he recognized the area from their initial scans of Aourea, almost a month previous.
Occupying the position of internal observer was disorienting at first for Chakotay. It took him a few moments to accept that while he could see through Janeway’s eyes, he had no control over the events he witnessed. Once he calmed his fears of paralysis, he was able to concentrate on what was happening before him. As he watched, she was led up to the altar and vivisected by his own dark doppelganger. He watched again as this time she plunged the knife into his twin’s stomach, and felt the horror of her actions. Again the sequence repeated, with her prepared once again to be the victim, only to have his An’Anaki alternate plunge the dagger into his own belly, spilling blood over her body and the altar.
Finally Chakotay inhabited Janeway’s body as she again held the knife aloft. Together they made the decision to impale them self, rather than face murder again. To both of their shock, the victim sliced his own body open and placed his liver into the hole they’d created. His words: “Now we can never be separated” shook Chakotay to the core. What did he mean? Though obviously the events at the root of Kathryn’s fear had never happened, they’d become a part of her consciousness, chewing at it and distracting her.
Now Chakotay found himself distracted by the images of violence and mutilation. It was only with a supreme effort that he managed to turn his thoughts back to the task at hand, concentrating again on Skoudra Yerivat’s directions.
*
It was inevitable, after their time on the planet that Chakotay would end up at Kathryn’s door demanding answers to the questions her thoughts had raised.
As he stood outside her door, Chakotay let out a long breath, reminding himself that the vulnerability he’d felt the night previous would be just as strong for his Captain. Straightening his shoulders, he pressed the chime button. A few beats later, her voice floated over the intercom, “come”.
He entered her quarters to find her tucked neatly into a lounge chair. He caught a glimpse of the book she was reading before she placed it on the table beside her. The Odyssey. It seemed his Captain continued to be fascinated by ancient Epic Poetry. He wondered idly if she’d yet tackled the Epic of Gilgamesh, or if it was further down her reading list.
“What can I do for you, Commander?”
Her voice brought him out of his reverie, forcing him to focus on the matter at hand. Looking at her, Chakotay knew immediately that she was well aware of the reason for his visit. Deciding not to waste time, he launched immediately into what was bothering him.
“Captain, have I done something to make you feel I’m not trustworthy?”
Sighing, Janeway sat up in her chair, dropping her feet to the floor in the process. In the same movement she indicated the couch across from her.
“I assume you’re wondering about my dreams?”
Chakotay snorted, “Those were nightmares, plain and simple.”
“Okay, nightmares then. I’m sure there’s a reason for them. Perhaps the stress of dealing with the An’Anaki.”
“When did they start?”
“The night before I beamed down to Aourea.”
“And they’ve been happening ever since?”
“Almost every night.”
Shocked, Chakotay stood from his seat, pacing quickly. “You need to do something about this, Kathryn. Have you told the Doctor?”
“No, and I’m not going to.”
Chakotay saw the determination in her eyes and decided to try a different tact. “Fine, I won’t tell the Doctor, but once this Skoudra thing is over, let me help you contact your spirit guide. Maybe it can help.”
Slowly Janeway nodded. If nothing else, the meditation would help her deal with the stress of the An’Anaki.
“Good then. Do your best to get some sleep. The An’Anaki can be an exhausting people.”
Janeway couldn’t help but smile at her First Officer’s mother hen attitude.
*
The next morning found the two Voyagers once again on the surface of the An’Anaki capital. By chance, they’d arrived a few minutes early, and their emissary escort was nowhere in sight.
Determined to see more of the planet than the one room they’d been holed up in for two days, Janeway gave Chakotay a half smile then jerked her head in the direction of the statue in the middle of the square. With an answering grin, Chakotay fell into step beside her. A few minutes later, they were at the base of the massive blood-red stone sculpture.
“What do you think, Captain?”
Janeway frowned, looking hard at the man and beast portrayed by the artist. The male was large and powerfully built. His immaculate uniform seemed to keep his muscled body contained, offsetting the deep scar across his forehead. His long hair was pulled back tightly, completing the veneer of civilization. Something about his eyes suggested that one needn’t probe too deeply to unleash a savagery to rival the reptile hulking at his feet.
What was most noticeable about the statue, however, was the amount of wear it had suffered. In total four fingers had been broken off the body, leaving the otherwise imposing figure with clubs for hands. Jewels were missing from the hilt and scabbard of his sword, and uncounted rains had worn away some of his hair and the scales of his fierce companion.
“Incredible, isn’t it?”
Both Chakotay and Janeway tuned sharply to find their guide a pace behind them. Janeway gestured toward the statue, “who is it?”
“That is Emperor Dumo, the first and only Emperor of the Ichai. He was the Supreme General in command of the effort against the Routal. His orders sealed the Ichai’s fate as murderers. And we made him an Emperor for it.”
Janeway looked at the statue, then back at the emissary, trying to reconcile his calm, wise presence before her, with the ruthless image in the stone. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“General Dumo is responsible for the destruction of the Routal. His name is a curse through out the Oligarchy,”
“Then why do you have his statue at the base of you government buildings?”
“This is the last statue of Dumo in existence. It has stood over 2000 years. It will remain in this square, as a warning, until the elements wash away the marble.”
Janeway was astonished at the length of time the An’Anaki had committed to remembering their past crimes. Never before had she encountered a species so in touch with its past, yet still so focused on the future.
Taking her silence as an end to the conversation, the emissary gestured toward the capitol buildings. “Shall we continue, Captains?”
Silently, the two Starfleet officers fell into step with their escort.
*
“Welcome, Captains.” Yerivat greeted them just outside the chamber. He was warm as always, but Janeway could see that these sessions were tiring him out. Secretly, she was glad that the An’Anaki could experience exhaustion, though at the same time she knew the thought was unworthy of a man that had shown nothing but kindness toward her and her crew.
The Skoudrid escorted them into the room, and the two Voyagers were greeted not with the circular rows of seating and central stage of the previous two days, but with the set up both had seen during their respective Rights of Captaincy.
“Today, Captains, you become Skoudra.”
Without another word, Yerivat led them to the centre of the stage where two kneeing chairs and a man dressed in saffron yellow waited. As Janeway settled herself into her place, she found herself relieved that she would not be spending another day digging through memories with her first officer. At the same time, however, she felt a powerful sense of anxiety. The familiarity of her surroundings, the rows of red-clad Skoudra, the sound of a hammer striking an anvil all evoked memories of her first time in an An’Anaki temple, and the pain of the brand on her back. Without hesitation, she allowed the top of her robe to be removed. A few moments later, she felt a presence behind her. Stealing herself, she waited for the inevitable agony. This time, however, instead of the searing pain of red-hot metal touching bare flesh, she felt only warmth against the old scar. A few moments later the heat was gone, and a thick ointment was again spread over her back. In her peripheral vision, she saw two Skoudra draw a robe out of a large basin. Soaking wet, she realized it was her Captain’s robe, now dyed a dusty red. Carefully, it was hung by the fire to dry.
Her attention turned next to her first officer. She watched as his robe was removed and carried off to the dye basin. A few moments later, a piece of gauze was placed over his scar. The orange robed man then placed a hot brand against his back. She saw him stiffen in anticipation, but felt no pain through the absona-induced connection. A moment later the man pulled the gauze off his back, taking the scab with it. She winced at the pain, but it ended quickly, as the same ointment was spread over his back. She looked up at the crowd before her and saw the red dyed brands of the Skoudra before her. Even Emnari, standing beside Yerivat turned to show her indigo mark.
A few moments later, the yellow Keeper placed a bandage over her scar and helped her into her newly coloured robe. It was still slightly damp, but the intense heat of the fire had evaporated most of the moisture. Beside her, Chakotay was receiving the same treatment. She could feel his muted embarrassment at being so exposed before her. She felt her own cheeks flush as she realised that he’d seen her unclothed, too.
Yerivat and Emnari approached them once they had secured their robes again. “Kathryn, Chakotay, I welcome you to the order of An’Anaki Skoudra.” Yerivat grinned broadly at them.
“Thank you, Yerivat.” Janeway couldn’t help but return his smile.
“Please, return to your ship. My ship, the Dawn Star, will accompany you to Ju’Trip. We will have an exit vector within the hour.”
*
True to his word, Voyager and the Dawn Star left for Ju’Trip in less than an hour. With exhaustion afflicting the both Chakotay and Janeway, the Doctor ordered them relieved of duty for 24 hours, leaving Harry Kim to stand the first watch on what promised to be an easy journey through calm space. In the mean time, the two newly minted Skoudra were enjoying some time away from the An’Anaki. Though Yerivat was travelling a few thousand metres off Voyager’s starboard side, he’d made no indication that anything would be required of them, no dinners, no meetings, and no memory exchanges. Janeway was happy, but found that she couldn’t sleep, not right away. Instead she lay on her couch, still wearing her robe, listening to old music and wondering where her ship was going this time when the door chime sounded.
Only one crew member would be at her door at this hour.
“Come in.”
Chakotay strode into his Captain’s quarters, still dressed in An’Anaki red, and holding the An’Anaki computer interface. He intended to show it to her, to ask her if she’d read the entry on Ju’Trip, if she realised the reason Yerivat was dragging them off again, and how long she’d intended to keep that information to herself.
All thoughts of confrontation evaporated when he walked in the room. His Captain was lying on her couch, eyes closed, a picture of exhaustion. The music playing seemed more suited to Tom Paris than his sensible Captain.
She spoke to him without opening her eyes, “What is it, Chakotay?”
“What are you listening to?” Over the horns and guitar, the singer belted out the lyrics, “He used to carry his guitar in a gunney sack, and sit beneath the trees by the railroad tracks.”
“Johnny B. Goode.”
“Have you been raiding Tom’s computer files?”
This earned him the beginnings of a smile. “It’s from the historical database.”
Chakotay thought for a moment, trying to remember the tune, which seemed vaguely familiar to him now. Suddenly he remembered, “The Golden Record?”
This time her lips actually curled up. “The Golden Record. Humanity’s first, feeble attempt to communicate with alien species.”
Chakotay’s brow creased; rarely was Janeway so negative. “I don’t know about feeble.”
“It brought back a monster that nearly destroyed Earth. I’d call that feeble.”
Chakotay sat across from her, and replied, “For their time, I’d say it was a pretty good first step. Voyager accomplished its mission. No one could have guessed that it would have brought trouble back to Earth’s doorstep.”
“Why are we out here, Chakotay? By what right are we travelling off our planet? For all of our technology and progress, here we are, stranded and alone. What compels us as a species to do this?”
Chakotay was silent for a moment, listening to the music, now a classical composition he recognized as one of Mozart’s. Finally, he answered, “When George Mallory was asked ‘why do you want to climb Mount Everest’ he answered ‘because it’s there’. Why do humans want to explore space? Because it’s there.”
“As I recall, George Mallory died on Everest. I’m beginning to think we’ll die out here, too.”
Frustrated, Chakotay finally held the computer interface to her. “Have you read this yet?”
She cracked an eye, “Read what?”
“This.”
She accepted the device, scanning the entry quickly. When she realised he’d brought up information in Ju’Trip, and she started reading more closely. She’d read the information on Ju’Trip after her time on Tuaro with Nmtaru.
“Here.” Chakotay was loosing patience with her. Grabbing the machine, he scrolled to the important information. “Read here.”
The section he had selected was highlighted by a red border. It hadn’t been part of the text she’d read several days earlier. It concerned the weapon the Routal had discovered, the one that had led the Ichai to slaughter them. It was not a weapon, but rather a transportation device, one capable of carrying a ship over an incredible distance. Disbelief filled her as she read then reread the text a second and third time.
Finally, she raised her eyes. “Janeway to bridge, get me a channel to Yerivat immediately.”
“Aye Captain,” Came Harry’s surprised voice.
Janeway didn’t even bother to stop the music playing in the background as she waited for the Skoudrid, ignoring the jubilant voices chanting of marriage and love that filled the room with an unfamiliar tongue. A few moments later Yerivat appeared on her view screen. “What can I do for you Kathryn?”
She could tell he’d been sleeping, and she felt a momentary twinge of guilt. “Why are we going to Ju’Trip?”
The viewscreen must have picked up the An’Anaki PADD she was holding, because Yerivat smiled before answering, “To send you home.”
“The device still works?”
Yerivat nodded, “It takes 1000 years to prepare the batteries for interstellar transport, but it’s fully charged and ready to set you on your path.”
“And that’s it? You don’t want anything in return?”
Yerivat’s face clouded. “We’d hoped to send a delegation to your Federation, and perhaps start an An’Anaki colony in the Alpha Quadrant, but if you insist, we will send your ship back alone.”
Slowly, she released a breath. “I’m sorry, Yerivat. Please send any delegation you wish.”
“I was planning on telling you tomorrow, but I thought you’d rather sleep.”
“Of course. I’m sorry for disturbing your sleep.”
Yerivat smiled again, “Speaking to you is no disruption, Kathryn.”
Kathryn reached out and broke the connection.
Behind her, Chakotay had no idea how to react. Kathryn still had her back to him, and they’d thought home was in reach so many times. Finally, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder. She turned around quickly, as if she’d forgotten that he was in the room. A grin split her face.
“We’re going home.”
He couldn’t help smiling in return. “We’re going home.”
A moment later, she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him quickly on the cheek. Surprised, Chakotay responded in kind, kissing the top of her head as he pulled her close. “Do we tell the crew?”
She thought about it for a minute before answering, “Not tonight. I want to talk to Yerivat again first.” She pulled herself back from him for a moment, tears glistening in her eyes. “This time, though, I think we’re really going to make it.”
Chakotay could feel it, too. This time seemed more secure, more real. Impulsively, he reached down and brushed aside a stray lock of her hair. When she turned her mouth toward his palm, he knew something had changed between them. The intensity and intimacy of the previous days had helped to re-establish a connection he’d feared dead. He remembered her nightmares, and the line his alternate had whispered with such tenderness, ‘Now we can never be separated.’ The sequence had been conjured by Kathryn’s unconscious mind. Somewhere, he believed, she loved him. Without hesitation, he seized the moment, leaning down to plant a quick kiss on her lips.
He never got a chance to draw away. She finally understood the longing she’d felt as she looked at her twin in Chakotay’s mind. She knew that he loved her. She followed his retreat, kissing him in return. A moment later they were firmly entrenched, enjoying the novelty of their actions. It wasn’t until several moments later that Janeway pulled back, looking into Chakotay’s eyes in askance.
“Is this what you want?”
Chakotay nodded, “It is.” A frown creased his features, “Do you want this?”
She smiled again. “Yes.”
“Even if we’re still end up stuck out here?”
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“Tonight.”
It was Chakotay’s turn to smile, and he laid her gently onto the couch. In the background Dark Was the Night played on, lending rhythm to their movements.
*
“So, Yerivat, do you think they finally understand?”
“He was with her when they called me. I suspect he discovered the information.”
“And how will they react?”
Yerivat smiled, “I think we’ll have a better idea tomorrow when I meet her. I don’t know enough about her species yet, but there must be come change, some smell, or perhaps a spark in her eye.”
“You don’t think it might be just because she now knows Voyager’s going home?”
Yerivat considered this, as he laid himself back in bed. While Yerivat had indeed been asleep when Janeway had called, he hadn’t been sleeping alone.
“I think they’re smart enough to use this opportunity.”
Emnari laughed as she pulled him close. “We can show them the path but we can’t make them tread it