A Journey
By Elizabeth Carter
Part Nineteen
First on the scene was Amanda: she had taken the incentive and beamed in, her phaser set on the highest setting of stun possible her finger flagging the trigger. Years running and fighting for life on New Hope had honed the warrior in Rothery. Shoot first ask questions later.
Seeing Chakotay as the only other occupant in the lab, and Icheb down the officer didn't question, didn't hesitate she shot the Commander. Chakotay held the expression of shock as he landed hard upon his knees before toppling over on to the floor. Just as he fell both the Doc via the transporters and Tuvok with a three person security stormed the Astrometrics lab. As first officer on the scene, Amanda put her arms up indicating she wasn't the threat.
"Lieutenant Commander area secure." Rothery said.
"Report." Tuvok said his dark eyes studying his second in command.
"I responded to the distress call, I was currently in the Captain's quarters concerning a personal matter. The call came in, the captain authorized use of secure force and I was dispatched. I left her quarters and transported into the Astrometrics lab. I saw Commander Chakotay at the kiosk and fired a level five stun. Chakotay was down and that is when you arrived on the scene sir."
The EMH was currently using a med-tricorder over the prone boy, a look of photon relief spread across his face. "He's unconscious due to a high dosage of Morphine-sulphate – a sedative." he said. Such things of course were standard painkillers in first-aid kits. Each lab, several duty stations and all shuttles were equipped with first-aid kits, gaining access to the drug wasn't completely impossible. Or course removable of the injectors from the first-aid kits would be recorded by the med-tricorder in said kits as a way to record all emergency medical procedures. It was a failsafe device for the attending medic or giver of treatment so that when a physician took over they could immediately reference the sensors as well as the testament of the medic.
Whatever kit Chakotay removed the injector from it would have recorded it, and by whom as it was taken as it recorded the com-badges of the medic. Once more it was a medical protocol for such precautions.
"The problem is that Brunali are highly allergic to the compound," there was little time left in the window that would allow the photonic doctor to reverse the effects of anaphylactic shock. He could not allow yet another one of Seven's sons to perish.
Security-cams in the Astrometrics Lab would of course have recorded the altercation between Icheb and his assailant. Computer scanners which would be doubled checked to see if there were any other bodies other than Chakotay and Icheb during the call for assistance.
"Sir," A small framed red headed man called Tuvok's attention. "There is unauthorized use of the Midas array, a message from Voyager to Starfleet Command attention Admiral Nechayev concerning.... Sir! It concerns Lieutenants Torres and Seven....are they mutinying sir?"
Tuvok rose an eyebrow. "Highly unlikely ensign, there is no proof to indicate this will be their agenda. Stay with the evidence ensign it never lies."
"Yes sir,"
"We have motive for the attack." Rothery commented. "Icheb would follow regulations to the letter without deviating. This is an unauthorized transmission, according to protocol the cadet would have attempted to notify you sir, you are both Second Officer and Head of Security."
"But the call went to the Captain." The redhead said.
"Yes, because he was attacked, the Captain one of his mentors is more familiar. My guess he would have contacted Seven or B'Elanna as they are his mothers, they're not here. The Captain is the next best idea of safe for Icheb." Rothery explained fairly accurately. Hell she knew from her own experience that Kathryn Janeway had a quality about her that made others trust her. It didn't surprise Amanda that the kid contacted the woman who was essentially now his grandmother.
Chakotay better pray the other grandmother didn't get a hold of him considering he wouldn't have much of a chance to explain himself. Miral would slam her kut'luch into the surface of a table before him thus challenging him, or kill him outright.
The same conclusion must have occurred to the others, though Rothery herself wanted to throttle the man for harming a child, and given a different setting (minus one Vulcan security Officer) she just might have. They all knew according to the law one all security officers vowed to uphold Chakotay had a right to be held and questioned by a impartial ear. Rothery herself wanted to administer New Hope Justice. He hurt one she considered a friend, a child of close friends, he deserved to die. Of course she could always leave the force field down when the Torres family faced their attacker.
"Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, computer two to transport to the brig security protocol theta delta nine omega- Tuvok Chief Security Officer."
*Acknowledged.*
They had to move quickly before the effects of the stun wore off, and lock the perp in the brig. It was just as well that Rothery herself couldn't give the man the type of justice she grew up with it was better left to the Klingons and that included Seven of Nine.
Rothery smiled thinking of an old Klingon saying 'Be proud of your enemy and be glad of their success, for in conquering such an enemy brings great glory.' Chakotay could be very proud of his enemies, but he would never defeat them.
Captain Janeway didn't want to work on supposition, the facts the recordings were damning enough. However recordings could be manipulated, evidence planted, testaments rehearsed. She might have given Chakotay the benefit of the doubt concerning his intentions. There was just so much of the damaging evidence that pointed out clearly it was Chakotay had premeditated his attack on the boy that nearly resulted in Icheb's death, used unauthorized access to the Midas array via the Pathfinder project and had intended to falsely file information on the Borg incident.
With Nechayev's loathing and fear for the Borg there was no doubt as to what her answer would be. Seven and her family would be ordered to be neutralized. No explanations, no arguments, would ever penetrate that woman's loathing for the cybernetic beings. And she was not alone. But Seven wasn't fully Borg nor were her children, they were free of the Hive mind, the Collective no longer had a hold on them. Nechayev, from her past experience with the one called Hugh verified the Admiral's course of action, she wouldn't care that they were free she would order their destruction.
The still steaming cup of black coffee sat untasted in her hands, she was alone and staring through the windows at the stars beyond her Ready Room. Paris and Chakotay had made Janeway feel uncomfortable on her own ship. She hated the idea she couldn't trust her own crew. How many others felt the same way as those two men?
The thought had occurred to her the reasons for both men attacking as they had was they were jealous and unable to cope with the idea they were not the object of affection from two of the most brilliant, talented and beautiful women on Voyager. Chakotay had approached Seven and was quickly shot down for his advances. And B'Elanna had during the space race severed her ties with Tom because she no longer wished to be ignored or shoved aside because of some new toy. She was right in thinking she need not adjust her life to fit the whims of an immature childish man. No self respecting woman would, let alone a Klingon.
Another thought occurred to her. One she would not wish to think of, but had to. She had felt a bit claustrophobic about the thoughts now running through her mind. There was a certain covert operation working within Starfleet, with a small number of members that 'officially' belonged to Starfleet Intelligence. They were autonomous and operated well outside the law or conscience.
Centuries ago a rogue branch of the United States government called the NID broke off and became known as the Trust. The Trust had evolved into Section 31.
They were as unstoppable as the Borg. They functioned without the Federation's knowledge; in fact the majority of Starfleet wasn't even aware of its existence. The only reason Janeway knew of it was because she happened to be in the presence of Seven when her cortical node was failing and the blonde had taken the personality of a Section 31 member. It was a personality more demonic in demeanor than the Queen of the Borg herself. Because it was human.
The personality had been on a mission to subvert the Maquis and gain Intel on the Dominion factions that worked with the Cardassian's Obsidian Order. The personality had further implicated that Admiral Nechayev was a member of Section 31 and ordered a "Cardassian" plotted massacre of the Maquis. The Cardassians would be implicated, the rest of the Maquis given a pardon according to public eyes. However Section 31 would assassinate the remaining members as the opportunity arose. Until now Janeway had kept this information secret because it would damage the already precarious alliance of her crew. They feared the Borg, she couldn't have them fearing the Federation just because of a minuscule fraction of it was subversive.
They are an army unlike any other, crusading across the stars for absolute Perfection.
Their promised lands is a constellations of dark new stars they call Omega. If they cannot assimilate you, they kill you. This was par for the course with the Borg, their presence brought terror, a dread fear that lent power to irrational and desperate measures. This was the only justification Section 31 and in truth many others needed to hate Seven and her children.
Chakotay, was he a subvert, or did he just give Nechayev the report about his perceptions of the former Borg because of her disdain for the cybernetic beings? It was a disquieting revelation to say the least. Section 31 would most certainly deem Seven a threat, not only was she Borg but she was a Prime, destined to be the Queen. With all the knowledge of the Borg Queen and independent, Section 31 would either wish to destroy her or harvest her knowledge until they had what they wanted and then kill her.
The thought that Starfleet Command could be and mostly likely was compromised by Section 31 made Janeway furious. She didn't dare reveal what she knew. She had always thought Starfleet's idealism was trust, open minded truth, and honor. Section 31 seemed to be able to exist as it did by exploiting those qualities as weakness. They thought themselves to act for the good of the Federation but without care for what the Federation stood for.
Kathryn hated feeling what she was feeling and she wanted to lash out at something, anything. Chakotay's communication had gotten through to Nechayev and it was only a matter of time before Starfleet Command would send a communique back with orders to ... Janeway rubbed the bridge of her nose she didn't even want to contemplate what their orders would be. She would never allow Seven or her children to be hunted even if that meant Janeway herself had to become Maquis.
Chakotay was finding himself locked in the ten force glare. He tried to act defiant, resolved and confident, the man he once was five years ago when he was captain of his own ship. He failed miserably.
"Apparently Crewmen Paris's mistake in attacking a minor wasn't a good enough example. Of swift justice." Were Janeway's first words to the thickly muscled man. "I have always respected you, counted on you, relied on your counsel. Which is why is difficult for me to fathom why you would even contemplate harming a child."
"Icheb is seventeen."
"Still a minor according to the law." Janeway snapped. "I don't even think you are in a position to justify EVER harming a child, Chakotay! Insubordination, mutiny only add to your crimes. I have seen the logs, read security reports and seen the transmission you sent to Admiral Nechayev.'
"How's the boy?" Chakotay tried in vain to reroute the heat of the interrogation.
"Stabilized now, considering the Morphine-phosphate sent him into anaphylactic-shock. The Brunali are highly allergic to the drug. You're fortunate you're being charged with only child endangerment and not homicide. I in truth can't court-martial you since you're Maquis and not Starfleet. I can however bring civilian charges against you and I will. Because of the evidence so clearly present against you and Icheb's testimony and his near death, you are here by stripped of rank to crewman, further more your replicator rations are reduced to food rations only, you will have no holodeck privileges for a year and you are to be incarcerated for 30 days pending the matter if Seven and B'Elanna Torres the parents of Icheb wish to file charges you will be incarcerated for a longer period of time."
"Plan to put me in stasis like Paris, Kathryn?" The comment was snide.
"That's Captain Janeway to you. And I might. That is of course if Klingon justice isn't carried out. Chakotay this might be a Federation vessel but we are NOT in Federation space, the House of Prasba are well within their rights to carry out Klingon tradition." Kathryn had no intention of allowing B'Elanna, Seven or Miral to take a vendetta against her former First Officer, but there was no need to allow him to know that. Let him stew a bit. He deserved no less.
"You're not even going to ask why?" Chakotay once again tried to establish a dialog.
"Would there be an answer or an excuse?" the hurt of the betrayal was now thick in Kathryn's voice that even a Captain's bravado could not disguise.
"I didn't see that I was left with a choice. The Borg are dangerous. You continued to ignore my protests about the Borg. And now matters are worse. The rogue Borg are more impetuous and unpredictable than their predecessors. This new weaponry they have at their disposal is more devastating than we could ever have imagined. There will be no stopping them now. And their Queen whether you want to acknowledge or not is your pet Borg."
"She is less a pet, Chakotay than a daughter. And yes I give Seven the benefit of the doubt, much like I'm doing now with you. If you hadn't endangered a 'child's' life Chakotay you would have more validity in your arguments. As it stands I see you only as a child abuser. That is one slip I will never abide. It is unthinkable that you had even crossed that line. Amiel."
It was once a year that Kathryn Janeway might have used Chakotay's true name. And when she did it was with great reserve. The fact she used it now was like a dagger into the man's soul. His disdain for the moment dropped as he saw the severity of what he had done. A child would have died by his hands. Even his spirits would forsake him now.
"I once called you friend. In fact next to Tuvok you were the closest to me, and my dearest friend. Now you've shown your true colors, you are no better than the Kazon or the Cardassians the Maquis battled to save the innocent children of Bajor. You betrayed me and yourself Chakotay."