DISCLAIMER: You all know the drill - Paramount is God. All hail Paramount. They own everything in the Star Trek Universe - I'm just
using my overactive imagination to take their characters where they refuse to go. All in the name of fun, not profit (I wish).
RATING: PG-13 Nothing my momma couldn't read.
<< BACK TO PART XXII: PATHFINDER
"Captain! Commander! Good to see you!" cried Neelix as they entered. "Where have you been? We've been waiting for you to arrive."
Chakotay smirked, and she deliberately elbowed him as he removed her jacket for her. "Sorry, Neelix, we�I wasn't watching the time."
"I had to pull her away from her work," clarified Chakotay. "Literally."
"Just like old times," said Neelix with a laugh.
"Just like old times," agreed Kathryn with a smile. "How are you, Neelix? How's the restaurant business?"
"Oh, it's wonderful, thank you Captain. Leola root doesn't seem to go over as well on Earth as it did on Voyager, but everyone is eager to try out the delicacies of the Delta Quadrant."
"We'll have to stop by sometime," said Chakotay.
"I'll save you the best table in the house," promised Neelix.
The Captain smiled and started to follow Chakotay into the crowd, but caught Neelix by the shoulder as she passed him.
"Neelix?" she said quietly into his ear. "If we do come by for dinner sometime�could you possibly leave out the leola root?"
His hurt expression was obvious. "Of�of course, Captain."
"It's just not the same replicated," she explained, pouting.
The injured expression evaporated. "Ah�no, you're right, it isn't. It's a shame there's nothing like it in this quadrant."
She agreed with a nod, then patted his shoulder and moved off.
After mingling in the crowd for a few minutes, she looked around and discovered that she and Chakotay had been separated. Before she could locate him, she was approached by the Doctor.
"Captain! It's good to see you."
"You too, Doctor."
He preened. "Please, Captain, call me Lewis."
Her eyebrows nearly jumped off her forehead. "Lewis? I take it you've finally chosen a name?"
"Doctor Lewis Talera. I thought my presentations at medical conferences deserved a better by-line than 'Voyager's EMH.'"
"What made you decide?"
"It was Seven, actually. We were discussing her decision to take her human name, and she asked me why I had never chosen one."
"Lewis Talera � who was he?"
"Nobody," said the Doctor proudly. "Seven asked me why I wanted to name myself after somebody else when I was, 'a unique individual', I think she said. I realized she was right, so I simply chose a name."
"Lewis? After Dr. Zimmerman?"
"Yes. It's often customary for a name to be passed from father to son. Dr. Zimmerman is the closest thing I have to a father."
"And Talera?"
"It's Vulcan. Loosely translated, it means 'traveler'�or 'voyager.'"
Kathryn laughed. "That's very clever, Doctor�or should I say, Lewis. It might take me a while to get used to that."
He smirked. "You're not the only one."
The Doctor looked over her shoulder and smiled. "I'd tell you more, but it appears that your attention is required elsewhere, Captain."
She turned around to see Naomi Wildman standing patiently behind her. "Naomi!" she said, enveloping the girl in a hug. Naomi had grown so tall that the Captain barely had to lean over to reach her. "It's good to see you. How have you been?"
"Lieutenant Paris took me on a shuttle ride around the rings of Saturn," said Naomi proudly. "He even let me drive. He said I'm a natural."
The Captain chuckled. "Is your mother around?"
Naomi looked around and shrugged. "I haven't seen her since we got here."
"If you see her, tell her I'd love to say hello."
Naomi nodded. "Have you seen Seven? She's looking for you."
The Captain raised an eyebrow. She had spoken with Seven only yesterday morning at Utopia Planitia, so she wondered why she would be looking for her. "No, I haven't. I didn't know she was here yet."
Naomi's eyes widened in excitement and she clapped her hands. "She has something she wants to tell you."
"What's that?"
"She made me promise not to tell. It would ruin the surprise."
Her curiosity peaked, Kathryn looked around the room. "I'll try and find her. Thank you, Naomi."
"You're welcome, Captain. Oh -- have you seen Neelix?"
"He's over there, near the door," she told her, pointing.
Naomi grinned and ran off to speak with her godfather. The Captain stood up and looked around the room again, trying to find Seven. She broke off her search when she saw Icheb approaching her.
"Captain," he acknowledged as he joined her.
"Icheb. How are things at the Academy?"
"Challenging. But I am finding it to be a rewarding experience."
"I hear you're at the top of your class."
"Second, actually," he corrected. Seeing her amused expression, he added with a grin, "But I believe I�aced�my last quantum mechanics exam. That may put me in first position."
"We're all very proud of you, Icheb."
The young man beamed with genuine pride. "Thank you, Captain."
"Did you have any trouble adjusting?"
"It was difficult at first," he admitted. "I had grown used to life on Voyager, but I have adapted to the Academy."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"I took your advice and sought out the gardener, Boothby."
"Oh? What did you think?"
"He is an interesting individual."
She laughed. "And he gives excellent advice."
"He recommended I engage Cadet Bennet in recreational activities."
"Ask her out on a date?" she said with a smile. "And?"
Icheb blushed. "It was good advice."
She laughed. "By the way, have you seen Seven?"
"Yes. She is looking for you."
"So I've heard."
"Excuse me, Captain," he said, stepping away from her and into the crowd and disappearing before she had a chance to say another word. She frowned, wondering what was going on. She looked around the room to see if she could catch a glimpse of Seven. She couldn't see her, but she spotted Chakotay and Harry Kim talking not too far away, so she started over to join them. Before she got very far, she heard Tom Paris call after her.
"Captain," he said with a grin, catching up with her and offering her champagne. "You'll be needing this if you're going to make a toast."
"I wasn't planning on it."
"Nonsense. I insist. And so will everyone else if they don't get to hear from you on such an illustrious occasion."
She chuckled and sipped the champagne.
Tom glanced over at Harry and Chakotay and smiled. "Well, I guess married life is agreeing with Harry. Looks like he's filling Chakotay in on the good news."
The Captain frowned -- Harry's marriage to Megan Delaney was hardly new information, as the wedding had been over six months ago. Both she and Chakotay, along with a large number of Voyager's crew, had attended the wedding, so she couldn't figure out what Tom was referring to. "Good news?"
Tom's jaw dropped. "Uh�Harry hasn't told you?"
"Told me what?"
"Nothing."
"Out with it, Tom."
"No way. I'm not going to spoil your surprise."
She sighed in frustration and waved her hands in the air. "First Seven, now Harry. Why is it nobody tells me anything anymore?"
Tom's eyebrow went up. "Whoa, wait a minute. You haven't talked to Seven yet?"
"No�why?"
"You'd better find her, and quick. I don't even want to think about what she'll do if somebody tells you before she does. I think she said something along the lines of making assimilation seem like a picnic."
"What are you talking about?"
He smiled disarmingly and chuckled as he stepped around her and moved off into the crowd.
She sighed in frustration and moved over to join Harry and Chakotay. They were both grinning from ear to ear.
"So, Harry," began the Captain as she joined them. "What's this Tom tells me about good news?"
"He told you?" squeaked Harry. "I thought I told him to keep his big mouth --"
"He didn't tell me anything," said the Captain, holding up her hand in Tom's defense. "He just said you had some good news."
Harry's angry expression evaporated and was replaced by a grin again. "Oh�uh�It's Megan. She's pregnant."
Kathryn was speechless for a few seconds before she stepped forward and embraced Harry. "Oh, Harry, congratulations. I'm sure the two of you will make wonderful parents."
"Thank you, Captain."
"So where is your charming wife?"
"Around spreading the news, no doubt," said Harry.
"At the rate news travels in this circle," said Chakotay with a grin, "I'm surprised that everyone in the room doesn't know already."
With perfect timing as usual, Neelix joined their group. "Congratulations, Lieutenant!" he said, clapping Harry on the shoulder. "Have you thought about a godfather yet?"
"Uh�"
Kathryn and Chakotay took the opportunity and quietly slipped away.
"Have you seen Seven?" she asked.
He grinned. "No, but I heard. What do you think?"
"About what?" she said, nearing the end of her patience. "I haven't talked to her yet."
His eyes widened and he reached over to grab her arm. "Come on. We'd better go find her now."
"What exactly is so urgent?" she laughed as he half-dragged her through the crowd.
"I don't want to be in the sector if she finds out she wasn't the one to tell you."
"Tell me what?"
He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I said, I'm not going to tell you."
She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Chakotay."
He stopped walking and faced her with a huge grin, his eyes laughing. "You can't stand it, can you? Not knowing."
"Tell me," she pleaded. When he just laughed, she glared.
They continued moving around the room, and finally spotted Mark and Seven up on the second floor of the large apartment, leaning against the railing that overlooked the main floor. They had their backs to them, and they could see that Mark's arm was around Seven's waist.
Chakotay led the way up the spiral staircase, making their way around people coming down. It took them a few minutes to make their way over to the couple, having to stop and say hello to all the familiar faces, but they eventually neared the railing and saw Seven and Mark talking to the Doctor, who was beaming. As soon as he saw the Captain and Chakotay, he excused himself and was out of sight before the Captain even had a chance to speak to him again. She looked after him in puzzlement, then looked at Seven.
"Seven, what is going on?"
Seven looked at Mark and raised her eyebrow questioningly. Mark studied the Captain for a second, then grinned and leaned over towards Seven. "Looks like your widespread threats paid off. She doesn't know."
Seven sighed in relief, then smiled. "It's good to see you, Captain."
Mark picked up the hint and motioned to Chakotay to leave the two women alone.
The Captain looked at Seven with a raised eyebrow, noting with surprise her glowing expression, one unlike any she had ever seen on the ex-drone. Seven was wearing black pants and a soft blue sweater that complemented her complexion. She had some of her hair pulled loosely behind her head, and the rest fell down around her shoulders.
"Mark and I had dinner last night," began Seven with a smile, her eyes dancing.
By this point, Kathryn had reached the end of her patience and was dying of curiosity. "And?"
Seven was no stranger to cutting to the chase. "And he proposed."
The Captain's jaw dropped and she was speechless for a few seconds. "Proposed�as in marriage?"
Seven lifted up her hand to display the delicate ring on her finger, made of some kind of blue gemstone. "I accepted."
The Captain reached over to take her hand, examining the ring. "Oh, it's beautiful." She looked back up at Seven. "Oh, Seven, that's wonderful."
She released Seven's hand and moved over to give her an emotional hug. Kathryn's eyes filled with tears as she felt Seven squeeze her back, returning the embrace.
She stepped away with a laugh, wiping a tear from her eye. "Hard to believe you're the same woman I dragged kicking and screaming away from the collective five years ago."
Seven looked like she was on the verge of tears as well. "I would never have come this far without you, Captain. Your assistance has been invaluable to me. I hope you realize that."
The Captain smiled. "I think your fianc� deserves some credit too. I never could get you to go by Annika."
Seven smiled. "I would tell you precisely how and when he changed my mind, but it is�rather personal."
Kathryn frowned, not understanding. After a few seconds, realization dawned. "Oh. I see."
Seven blushed, but fortunately was saved the trouble of extricating herself from her embarrassment when they were joined again by Chakotay and Mark.
"Well?" said Chakotay.
"For once, I'm glad you kept me in suspense."
"I can't believe you've been here twenty minutes and nobody told you," said Mark.
"I anticipated the rate at which information is disseminated among this crew," said Seven with a smile. "I issued warnings to everyone I spoke to that Captain Janeway was not to be informed of this until I told her myself."
"Making assimilation seem like a picnic?" said Kathryn with a raised eyebrow.
Seven smirked. "I thought a more potent threat was necessary for Tom. He's notorious at spreading information."
"Speak of the devil," said Mark, seeing Tom approaching them.
Seven raised her eyebrow and stared at him impassively, and Tom joined them with an apprehensive look on his face.
"I didn't tell her, I swear," he said, holding his hands up defensively.
Seven let him off the hook, relaxing her expression. "I was able to inform the Captain myself."
Tom let out a deep breath. "Good." He turned to the Captain. "I think everyone's accounted for. Would you care to open the festivities?"
"By all means." She reached over to grab a spoon off a nearby table, then stepped over to the railing. Holding up her glass, she tapped it lightly with a spoon to get the room's attention. When the noise and conversation continued undaunted, she tapped her glass louder and spoke up. "Could I have your attention, please?"
When the room still didn't quiet down, Tom stepped up beside her. "Captain? May I?"
She gestured towards the railing. "Be my guest."
Tom put two fingers in his mouth and gave a loud shrill whistle. Conversation in the room stopped instantly, and all heads turned towards the balcony. "Sorry to interrupt, people," he said loudly. "But the Captain would like to say a few words. Before she does, though, there's a couple of things we have to get out of the way. Any of you who have had your fingers in your ears since you arrived may have missed the two pieces of news that are going around. On behalf of everyone, I'd like to congratulate my best friend Harry Kim and his beautiful wife Megan, who are expecting their first child."
The entire room broke out in applause.
"Some of you may not have heard the second piece of news, which has been�uh�classified until a few minutes ago. I've been informed by Seven herself�I mean, Annika�that she and Commander Walker are engaged. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say congratulations and good luck."
"You're going to need it, Annika," yelled Talia from the crowd below, drawing laughter from around the room.
Tom stepped aside and made room for the Captain. She chuckled and stepped up to the railing. She looked around at the people below her, her eyes roaming the crowd for familiar faces. There were a few people she didn't recognize, but most of those gathered below were from her crew. "Well," she said, lifting up her glass. "Here we are again. First of all, I'd like to say how wonderful it is to see all of you again."
"Hear, hear," said a multitude of voices, and glasses were raised in salute around the room.
"One year ago today, this crew returned from the longest away mission in Starfleet history." That drew laughs from around the room. "Eight years ago today, we all met under what was hardly the best of circumstances. We were all stranded, half a galaxy away from home. I don't hesitate to say it brought out the best in all of you. Everyone, Starfleet and Maquis alike, put aside their differences and learned to work together. And it paid off � we traveled over thirty thousand light years in seven years. We lost people along the way, and we grew closer. And we made it home. We did it."
She paused a minute to collect herself, and she felt Chakotay step up behind her and lay his hand gently on the small of her back.
"It's hard to believe, isn't it," she said with a smile as she continued to look around the room. "Eight years ago, I didn't know any of you. It feels like an eternity ago. I could never have imagined growing as close to anyone as I have to the people gathered here today. We spent seven years together. Living, fighting, laughing. We became a family. And our family is only going to grow with time." She lifted up her glass. "May we never grow apart. To family."
"To family," echoed the room.
"Now, I'll let you all get back to catching up." She paused again before stepping away. "It's good to be together again."
The room started to grow noisy again, but Harry spoke up. "I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say that the only reason we're all here today is because of that woman up there. No crew could have asked for a better Captain."
"You're just saying that because you finally got that promotion," yelled Tom from the second floor, drawing laughs from around the room.
Harry glared at him but continued. "In case I've never said this before, Captain, serving under you was the best thing any green ensign could have asked for." The crowd chuckled again. "To the Captain," he said, holding up his glass.
"To the Captain," repeated the crowd.
B'Elanna, balancing Miral on her hip with one hand and holding up her glass in the other, stepped up beside Harry and spoke up. "She believed in us before we even believed in ourselves, and gave us all a chance to prove ourselves. Even if we didn't do anything to deserve it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's a better person for serving under her." She raised her glass. "Thank you, Captain. And I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that I'm glad it only took you and Chakotay seven years to come to your senses. At least it only took Tom and I three."
The room exploded in laughter and applause.
Kathryn smiled through the tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she said, but her throat caught and it came out as a whisper.
Chakotay stepped up beside her and brushed away a tear that rolled down her cheek. "Eight years."
"Eight years," she smiled. "Happy anniversary."
Then, regardless that almost two hundred people were watching them, she leaned forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
The crowd cheered and whistled.
Not that they could hear it, or even cared.
<< BACK TO PART XVII: PATHFINDER
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