Chapter Text
Chakotay and Kathryn were waiting outside of Admiral Hayes’ office. Called there for a mission briefing. The silence between them was deafening.
Chakotay cleared his throat, “Do you know why we’ve both been called on a mission briefing?”
“No. Frankly, I was enjoying my time with my family before I had to come back so quickly.” Kathryn leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs.
“I thought we were meant to all take a 6 month sabbatical. But it's only been a month. How’s your family?” Chakotay was still confused about why he was sitting in the middle of Starfleet headquarters. He and Kathryn had an agreement to settle themselves back on Earth.
“Happy that I’m home. What about you? What have you been up to, Chakotay?”
“I caught up with my sister but she had to go back to Dorvan, so I was doing a spirit quest sort of meditation retreat in the middle of the Arizona desert.”
“Sounds fun. How was it?”
“Never got the chance to go. I’m here instead of the desert aren’t I?” Chakotay slightly turned his head to have a better look at Kathryn.
“Well, it looks like some holidays are cut short.”
“Yes. It does look that way.”
Kathryn leaned closer to Chakotay and whispered, “We aren’t fighting, are we?”
“You're the one that wanted the break, Kathryn.” Chakotay whispered back, and Kathryn nodded her head, forgetting who started what.
They both wondered what could be so important. They had agreed to let each other have some space as they adjusted to home. Agreeing only to come back together after their sabbatical was over. But here they were with their new ranks, in their uniforms, waiting for what could be so important that it couldn’t wait another 5 months.
Admiral Hayes walked out of his office “Please come in, Admiral Janeway and Captain Chakotay.”
They looked at each other then walked in, Kathryn first then Chakotay. They both sat down opposite Admiral Hayes.
“I’m sure you're both wondering why we called you in during your well deserved shore leave.”
“You would think right Admiral. Why have we been called to your office?” Kathryn said, while trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.
Admiral Hayes nodded his head and talked on the intercom to his assistant, “Ensign, can you bring in Captain Zimbata?”
“He is on his way in, Admiral.”
Captain Zimbata was the Captain of the U.S.S. Victory , which didn’t happen to get destroyed within the Dominion War. The Victory was a small ship: Constellation Class, which was smaller than Kathryn's Intrepid Class ship. As Captain Zimbata came through the door, they slowly turned around but they also stood up even though they technically didn’t have to.
“Thank you for coming, Admiral Janeway and Captain Chakotay. I really appreciate this. I’m Captain Jason Zimbata and if I’m going to be really honest, I’m a little jealous of how your command relationship worked so well on Voyager .”
Kathryn swore she saw Chakotay stiffen at his comment. Kathryn blushed and tucked her head quickly to pull herself together. They all shook hands and Captain Zimbata moved to stand with Hayes, while Kathryn and Chakotay sat down at the exact same time.
“Well, a lost ship on the other side of the galaxy didn’t have much of a choice, when my original First Officer was lost upon arrival, I had a choice, join the Maquis into my crew or operate a ship with less crew than what it was designed for. I chose to join the crews together. A lot of trust went into the relationship, which was necessary for joining the crews together.”
Zimbata just nodded his head, apparently oblivious to the fact that Kathryn was seething, she should be having coffee on her front porch of her childhood home in Indiana, not in Starfleet Headquarters still wondering why she was still there.
Chakotay could see Kathryn was about to blow so he decided to speak up. “Admiral, Captain. Tell us why you have interrupted our shore leave before we decide to walk out of this door.”
Hayes sighed before the next words came out of his mouth, “We have been detecting Borg signals near the Badlands, and we need your expertise to go back out there.”
“Admiral, I find it odd that you’ll be sending the Victory alone.” Kathryn almost laughed at Hayes’ comment.
“That’s why I wanted both you and Captain Chakotay on this mission. You are used to being outgunned and outnumbered especially when it comes to the Borg.” Zimbata says.
Chakotay and Kathryn both looked at each other, they both sure as hell didn’t want the Borg here and they also didn’t like the idea of the Victory going out to see the Borg on their own. But Zimbata was right, they were used to being outgunned and outnumbered when it came to the Borg.
“Admiral, do we have to give our answer now?” Chakotay asked, he needed to talk this out but couldn’t do it with both Zimbata and Hayes around.
“We expect an answer by 0800 tomorrow.” Hayes answered for them.
They both nodded their heads and walked out. They made it out to the courtyard before Kathryn spoke.
“Come to my mother’s. We can talk there.”
Chakotay just nodded and Kathryn used her security clearance to beam them directly to her family’s home.
“Welcome to my little slice of hell.” Kathryn opened her arms towards the house as they were making their way to the front porch.
Chakotay laughed at Kathryn’s remark about her family. “Your little slice of hell?”
“Meet Phoebe and you’ll understand.”
They made their way up the steps to the front door. Kathryn keyed in the codes and opened the door. They both could smell the coffee coming from the kitchen.
“I’m home, Mum! Do I get some coffee?”
Chakotay and Kathryn rounded the corner into the kitchen and Phoebe was sitting at the counter while Gretchen was getting the coffee out of the machine. Gretchen looked up and she was surprised to see Chakotay standing behind Kathryn.
“Katie, since when do you bring unexpected visitors?” Gretchen asked.
“Mum, Phoebe. This is my former First Officer, Chakotay.”
Phoebe stood up and walked over and said in a sultry voice, “Hi.”
“Phee. Hands off.”
“Doesn’t matter, I'm going outside.”
“Kathryn, it’s ok. I can handle myself.”
“Now do you understand why I said my little slice of hell?”
Chakotay chuckled to himself.
“Katie. Here is your coffee. Chakotay, would you like anything?”
“I’ll have a coffee. Cream with 2 sugars.”
Both Kathryn’s and Gretchen’s faces contorted into disgust. Gretchen spoke the words Kathryn has said multiple times before. “You're ruining Coffee. I don’t know how my daughter lived with you for 7 years.”
“I tried Mum. I really did. Chakotay and I need to talk alone. About the reason we were called to Starfleet this morning.”
“I may be an Admiral’s wife, but I don’t exactly want to lose my daughter to Starfleet again.” Gretchen poured the cups of coffee and brought the caramel brownies out from the warmer. She then plopped a kiss on top of Kathryn’s head and walked outside to where Phoebe was.
“Sorry about them. I figured dealing with me for 7 years would allow you to be prepared for them, but no amount of training can get you ready to meet a Janeway woman.”
“I never needed training with you. I just observed and got the drift. Made sure you had your coffee in hand and everything would be fine.” Chakotay flashed his dimples at Kathryn.
Kathryn handed the coffee over to Chakotay, as her knees went weak with his dimpled smile. “So, this mission. Do you want to do it?”
“Kathryn, I’m going to be honest. I don’t think we will have a choice. I mean it’s the Borg after all and we thought that we had left behind all traces in the Delta Quadrant.” Chakotay sighed and took a sip of the coffee. “Do you really think Hayes and Zimbata would allow us to say ‘no’ to this mission? Think about it carefully. Why send the Victory when there is the Enterprise and bigger ships. Even the Defiant at DS9 . Why send the former Command Team of Voyager together on a ship small enough the Borg could eat it for breakfast? Is it for us to slip up? Or is it to get us out of the way for something bigger? Are we too much trouble for Starfleet to handle that they would rather send us away on a mission in the middle of our sabbatical, when we only just got home to family and friends?”
Kathryn looked into her coffee cup. “Maybe you're right Chakotay. Why send the Victory with us? Did they find something out? Were our lies transparent enough that Starfleet could see through them? But if the Borg are back, can we risk not going out and seeing, because I’m going to feel very guilty if they are back after we destroyed that Transwarp Hub.”
Kathryn grabbed a Brownie, dipped it into her coffee and then ate it. It tasted delicious. One thing that she had missed for 7 years. Kathryn’s eyes closed in content, savouring the taste of her mother’s cooking.
“Enjoying the brownie?” Kathryn hummed as an answer.
“I’m going to miss mum’s cooking again.”
“So, it’s decided. Are we doing the mission?”
“Yes. We have a duty to protect everyone.”
“How do we tell those people outside?”
“We start from the beginning, Chakotay. We start at the beginning.”
They both brought their coffee cups up in a salute to each other and down the rest of the coffee in one hit. Kathryn went outside to ask her mother and sister to come back inside.
=/\=
Gretchen and Phoebe were situated on the couch. Kathryn and Chakotay were standing on the other side. The silence was deafening to all. But Chakotay was going to let Kathryn take the lead. After all this was her family, breaking this news to Sekaya is going to be hard on Chakotay too. But one family at a time, right?
“Mum. Phee. Um…” Kathryn was fidgeting with her hands. Chakotay was confused, usually this woman larger than life, normally knows what to say and is as strong as titanium was speechless and fidgeting like no tomorrow right here, right now.
“Chakotay and I have been together for about 5 years now. We’ve hidden it from Starfleet and our crew. But today, what we have been called back to Starfleet for, we wanted to ignore but just couldn’t. The Borg are back and we will feel guilty if we don’t do anything. We are going on the Victory . The reason why I am telling you this is so that you can be prepared for anything. But you have to deny that you know anything, to Starfleet.”
“Katie. I was married to your father, I know how to keep a secret or two. So, does your sister.” Gretchen got up. She came over and hugged her daughter. “You never have to worry about us, because we will always believe you will come home.”
Now it was Phoebe’s turn to get up. “Now I understand the hand’s off thing. But why haven’t you guys spent any time together?”
Kathryn and Chakotay locked eyes. Kathryn decided to speak, “Because we needed to adjust to Earth. We needed to know who we are and catch up with our family.”
One last hug from Gretchen and Phoebe for Kathryn. Gretchen even goes over to Chakotay, pulls him into a big hug and says, “Welcome to the family, Chakotay.”
Kathryn and Chakotay went to the office to submit their answers to Hayes and wait for his response. A message from Zimbata came through on the PADD.
To: Admiral Kathryn Janeway and Captain Chakotay
From: Captain Jason Zimbata
Subject: Departure
The Victory will be leaving McKinley station at 1600 hours tomorrow. It is recommended that you come on board at 1200 hours to get settled into your quarters for a senior staff briefing at 1400 hours.
Kind Regards,
Jason Zimbata
They both looked towards one another and Kathryn broke the silence they were in. “I suppose we have to pack now, Huh?”
Chakotay smiled with a dimpled smile and said, “As long as I get to pack for a journey that’s with you. I’ve missed you.”
“Same here.” Kathryn then chucked her arms around Chakotay into a massive bear hug. She brought her lips up to Chakotay’s. Chakotay stiffened out of habit but then sank into the embrace never wanting to let go. But Kathryn was the one to pull away from the embrace first. The loss of contact for both of them is hard.
“I should go, before we get distracted.”
Kathryn turned back to the console. “Yeah, I think so too.”
“I’ll see you before we both transport up?”
“Yes. I think that should be appropriate.” Kathryn could feel Chakotay deflate at her tone, back to business. No play. She felt him move away, towards the door. She wanted to turn around and tell him to stop, but she was planted firmly where she stood. Kathryn hated this feeling, but it was necessary before they could reveal too much.