He loved this woman with his whole heart and soul. He could deny her nothing, and was simply very grateful that she was still alive. Something profound must have happened, to turn her from hating her Klingon heritage to wanting to live in the temples and study it.
[273] Very well. If she wanted to live on Boreth, they’d live on Boreth.
“We’ll be on the first transport out. I love you.”
The weeks passed pleasantly enough. Janeway took up a position at Starfleet Command, juggling her duties there on her “project” with teaching a joint class with Tuvok at the Academy.
When Chakotay contacted her after spending several weeks with his family to let her know he was returning to San Francisco, Janeway promptly invited him to dinner. “It’ll be just like old times,” she said. He agreed happily.
Smiling in anticipation of a wonderful evening, she replicated lamb for herself, an aromatic wild mushroom risotto for Chakotay, and had opened a bottle of fine old merlot. When he arrived and she handed him a glass, he accepted it appreciatively.
“It smells wonderful in here,” he said. Indicating the wine, he asked, “What’s the occasion?”
“A quiet lull,” she said, and meant it. “It felt so awkward being home at first, and then of course we had the Borg and the holograms to keep us busy. Now, things are settling down. I’ve found a rhythm again.”
“Miss your chicks?”
She stared at him. “I beg your pardon?”
He smiled. “On Voyager, you often struck me like a mother hen protecting her chicks. They’ve grown up and, to use an old cliché, flown the coop.”
She finished setting the table and he lit the candles. “Of course I miss my chicks,” she said. “But they seem to be doing just fine. Icheb’s back at the Academy.”
“That’s wonderful news. How did that all turn out?”
[274] “According to Tuvok, one of the four cadets involved in the assault had been expelled, two youths had been suspended, and one young woman had received a reprimand.” As she went into the kitchen, she called over her shoulder, “And apparently Icheb’s dating the girl.”
“Icheb is a forgiving person,” said Chakotay, “but forgiveness of that nature is remarkable. Good for both of them. It speaks well of their characters. I hear Harry’s back together with Libby.”
“A delightful young woman, and so talented. Sounds like our boy may be ready to settle down,” said Janeway, bringing in the food-laden platters. “Speaking of settling down, Tom and B’Elanna and their adorable Kuvah’-Magh are studying Klingon culture on Boreth now.”
“Really? Something big must have happened on the Challenge of Spirit,” said Chakotay. “Did I tell you I heard from the Doctor yesterday? He sent me a preview copy of Photons, Claim Justice.”
“How is it?”
“I haven’t dared look at it yet. Apparently Seven has been critiquing it quite severely.”
“I’m surprised he’d show it to her,” Janeway said.
“Maybe she’s just down the hall and it’s convenient. Speaking of working together, how’s the class you’re teaching with Tuvok?”
“We’re locked in battle. He wants it dry and factual, I want it juicy and interesting. I imagine we’ll meet somewhere in the middle.” She eyed Chakotay sharply. “Which now leaves just you for this mother hen to worry about.”
He pulled out a chair for her, then sat down beside [275] her. “Then you don’t need to worry,” he said, unfolding his napkin. “I’ve decided to rejoin Starfleet.”
“Well, in that case—” Janeway rose, went into the kitchen, and returned with a bottle of icy champagne. “We really do have something to celebrate.”
Now Chakotay laughed and shook his head. “I hardly think my going back to Starfleet warrants a bottle of champagne.”
“Oh, it’s more than that.” She gave him a mischievous look. “At least, I hope so.”
“After all these years, you continue to confound me. What now?”
She expertly popped the cork and poured them each two flutes, grinning wickedly at Chakotay’s open shock. “I have been authorized to be the one to offer you a captaincy.”
“A captaincy?”
“If you’ll take it.”
He seemed stunned. Obviously, he hadn’t been expecting this. Finally he asked, “What ship?”
She waited, savoring the moment before giving him the most wonderful news she could possibly imagine.
“Voyager.”
About the Author
Award-winning author Christie Golden has written twenty-two novels and sixteen short stories in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Among her credits are the Star Trek Original Series hardcover The Last Roundup, three stand-alone Voyager novels, The Murdered Sun, Marooned and Seven of Nine, the Dark Matters trilogy (Cloak and Dagger, Ghost Dance, and Shadow of Heaven), the Voyager segment of the Gateways series, No Man’s Land, the novella Hard Crash for Have Tech, Will Travel and the Tom Paris short story, “A Night at Sandrine’s,” which appeared in Amazing Stories.
In addition to Star Trek novels, Golden has written three original fantasy novels—King’s Man and Thief, Instrument of Fate and, under the pen name of Jadrien Bell, A.D. 999, which won the Colorado Author’s League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel of 1999. She has also done tie-in short stories for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, among many others.
She is honored and delighted to be offered the challenge of continuing the stories of Voyager’s crew past the end of the television series, and hopes that her readers enjoy her vision for Voyager’s future.
Golden lives in Colorado with her artist husband Michael Georges and their two cats. Readers are encouraged to visit her website at www.christiegolden.com.
About the e-Book
(AUGUST, 2003)—Scanned, proofed, and formatted by Bibliophile.
STAR TREK: VOY - Homecoming, Book Two - The Farther Shore Page 22
