“I’ll be gone for just over a day,” he told her.

She kissed him, long and deep. “I miss you already.” She sent him a steady gaze. “Be sure to be back with me before our anniversary, or . . .”

“Or you’ll cut out my heart and eat it raw. I know.”

“Oh, no,” her eyes glittered evilly. “That wouldn’t happen until after I’d had my wicked way with you.”

Chakotay swallowed. “Uh-oh.”

“And don’t you forget it, man-of-mine.”

Chakotay breathed slowly and kissed her. “I’ll see you tomorrow night,” he whispered, forehead resting on hers.

“I love you.”

“I love you,” he replied and stepped into the corridor.

As it turned out Chakotay was gone for several days, his Day Of Memories being interrupted by the aspirations of a young Kazon boy. Frustrated at being able to do nothing, B’Elanna paced around their shared quarters. She was still not his legal wife, and may not be for some time.

They still had to seek permission from the Captain. But nothing had been said by her about initiating LTA protocol. And until she did, their lives were in limbo.

B’Elanna sighed loudly, got up and went to engineering. Got to keep occupied, she decided.

“What would the loss of the first officer do to this crew?” she asked, almost on the verge of breaking down.

Kathryn looked at her, somehow she knew, deep down, that the question was based on a lot more than just a Maquis/Star Fleet issue. Something seemed to fall into place. Was B’Elanna more than Chakotay’s friend, more than a bed-mate? Kathryn kept the thought unsaid.

“We’ll get him back,” she decided. She had to, she had feelings for Chakotay. They had teased each other relentlessly these last twenty months. She needed him, he was her friend. And even if their bond was not recognised by Star Fleet, she sure as hell recognised it. If they had a bond, that is.

So get him back they did, battered and bruised, but alive.

Chakotay slowly entered his quarters that night, his steps slow, his head hung in shame and pain. B’Elanna was at his side instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

Chakotay raised his dark wet eyes to hers and swallowed. “Seska . . .raped me.”

B’Elanna gasped. “Seska . . .? She . . .? The bitch! The bitch, I’ll kill her!” her voice rose to a shriek.

“B’Elanna, she’s with-child . . .”

“I don’t care. She took that from you. Killed everything you were. How could she do this . . .she knows you can‘t forget . . .not with her . . .”

Chakotay wrapped her in his arms letting her cry, crying with her for his lost dignity, for his lost children.

“One day, B’Elanna, I’ll have more.”

“But it will never be with me. You know I can’t give you children. It’s - the chances are so small. I want to get you home to find your little ones.” Sobbing into his chest, her tears dampened his jacket, she could feel him silently release his pain, he was not one to cry openly. She held him to her, soothing him. “You need to find another wife,” she said quietly.

B’Elanna lay sleeping peacefully. He had come close to losing her once again, and once again they had snatched her from death’s door and given her back to him. He kissed a lock of her hair, as he teased the curls she so rigidly refused to admit she had.

In the light of the distant stars she rolled onto her back, still locked in the land of Nod. What is it that had captured this wayward soul and kept her to me, he wondered.

He gazed lovingly down at her, taking in her almond skin, long dark lashes, full lips, but beneath the outer shell, where beauty was as fleeting as a heartbeat, was an inner strength, a beauty that was enduring and that had captured his heart like a moth to a flame.

The moment he had first seen her he had been smitten, his heart had been hers to command. From the moment she had joined his crew she had shown her full worth every day, withholding nothing. From the first moment he had joined with her she had been there for him, comforting him, laughing with him, crying with him, creating dreams with him, making love with him. She was everything to him, with him, in him.

Dreadnaught was gone for ever. No more Cardassian threats. The past was exactly that, the past, and no more. They could look to the future now, build a life together, except for one small problem . . .

Captain Janeway had still not implemented LTA protocols, which meant, although he shared his bed, he could not openly declare her as his wife. For now, she was classed as little more than a casual bed-mate, leaving him feeling unclean, and her feeling like a cheap and common whore.

He gently smoothed a hand across her flat belly, not wanting to wake her. He stilled, closing his eyes for one fervent prayer, beseeching the Sky Spirits to bless her womb and bring forth life. Just one, he wasn’t a greedy man. Just one child.

Chakotay’s annual medical had come around on the same day the Samantha Wildman had gone into labour. He had walked in to find Kes sitting with Sam as she breathed through what looked like a difficult contraction, while the doctor administered a dose of analgesic.

“That’s all I can give you,” he told her. “Your baby is half-Katarian and therefore will not react well to human pain relieving medications.”

Sam relaxed and nodded. “Thanks.”

“You might feel better if you lie down,” he suggested.

“I want to move around, get comfortable,” she insisted. “Oh, god, I wish my husband was here.”

The doctor noticed Chakotay standing by the entrance. “Commander, what are you doing here?”

Chakotay wrenched his eyes from Sam, wrenched his thoughts of the births of his lost children and turned to the doctor. “Medical. You called me in.”

“Ah, yes.” The doctor scanned him there and then before dropping the tri-corder into the instrument tray. “You may go.” He then walked away to hover over Sam; not that he needed to, she was perfectly fine.

“The results, Doctor?” Chakotay asked.

“Hmm? Hmm.” The Doctor returned and reopened the tri-corder. “You are three centimetres dilated and the contraction are . . .”

“I doubt it,” Chakotay put in, straight-faced.

“Ah,” the Doctor reset the tri-corder and scanned him again. “My scans tell me that you are in perfect health. I would, however request that you return tomorrow for a more thorough scan when Sick Bay is less busy.” The doctor again turned away.

Chakotay smiled at the expression on Kes’s face. The Doctor was acting like an expectant father, nervous, flustered and excited. “I‘ll say a prayer for you both, Sam. May your day be easy and bring you joy,” he accorded.

Sam nodded feeling the next contraction start.

Feeling his own nerves fall apart inside Chakotay left quickly. He had no wish to relive those hours he had spent with his labouring wife. Her times had been neither comfortable or easy. Analgesics had been hard to get hold of, anaesthetics had been impossible. Manya had cried for hours over and over again, leaving him wishing he had never made her pregnant at all. Their first child had been facing forward, leaving Manya with terrible back ache. Their second had been breach.

Neither were experiences he wanted to remember. Instead he focused on their little faces the last time he had seen them. He loved children. And the thought of having a child around the place again brought happiness to his being. Sam’s child was the first to be born on Voyager.

This child would bring hope to everyone - if only there would be more. If only the Captain would implement LTA protocols. Only Janeway had the authority to do so, so why wasn’t she doing that? It wasn’t as if she would be relinquishing command as such, just taking more of a village elder role. She would still give the orders, they would still follow them.

And he could love his wife openly.

He took his seat on the Bridge. “Samantha Wildman is in labour,” he told her.

Kathryn looked up. “Now?”

Chakotay nodded, smiling with all the nervous pleasure he felt. He watched the smile spread across the beautiful woman’s face beside him. He wanted her, now more than ever, but he knew his place. He stayed silent. And Janeway began her almost day-long chore of pacing.

The good news they were eagerly awaiting did not come, instead the Vidiians intervened. It was not until the following morning the Samantha got to hold her baby for the first time. The Captain made plans to see her.

“Join me, Commander?” She watched the pain flit across his face before he replied.

“Perhaps another time, Captain. I-I’ll see you later. I need to catch up on some sleep.”

Kathryn watched him walk away, knowing that there was something more, but could not quite put a finger on it.

They beamed them back, only to watch them get sicker and sicker before the serum took hold and cured them. Chakotay returned to his quarters, to his wife and cried.

“I love her, but she doesn’t return my feelings. For three whole months I loved her, I even told her, but she said nothing.”

“Nothing? Nothing at all?”

“She just held my hand across the table and said, ‘I should let you finish your carving. I’ll see you in the morning‘. And nothing else was ever said. She never once told me of her love, if she does feel anything for me. Not once.” He sighed thickly. “B’Elanna, what am I going to do?”

“Maybe it’s because you’re a married man. Maybe the Captain won’t make a move on you when she knows you’re in love with me.”

Chakotay suddenly sat upright as a thought came to him. “Kathryn won’t know about the laws of my people. I mean, I mentioned it once, but maybe it just didn‘t sink in.”

“Perhaps you should put in subtle hints here and there,” B’Elanna suggested with a grin.

Chakotay slowly smiled. “I think I can do that.”

He did just that for over a week and a half.

The screen winked off and Janeway shook her head absently. “How I hate alien duplicity.”

“I agree, but I’ve heard duplexes can be fun,” Chakotay commented with a slight smile.

Janeway frowned and looked at him. She saw him smile at her expression and she grinned. “Chakotay, you always know what to say to alleviate the tension.” She took her seat missing the disappointed look on his face.

She had no idea what he meant. This was going to take a lot of work, he noted silently.

So when his shift ended he scooted down to the mess hall.

“Good afternoon, Commander. You’re too early for dinner.”

“I know. I’m not hungry. I was coming to get some advice. I’m looking for something a little special, a little different. Something romantic.”

Neelix grinned, although he tried very hard not to. “Oh, planning a special night in?”

Chakotay smiled. “Something like that. But I want it kept a secret.”

“Oh, my lips are sealed, Commander. You were never here.”

“Thanks, Neelix.”

“So, what will it be? A red rose for the wife?”

“Ah - it’s not for my wife, Neelix.”

Neelix’s smile fell off his face at warp speed. “Commander, I don’t want to pry, you’re personal life is your own, but B’Elanna is going to find out sooner or later. There are no secrets on a ship this small. And when she does . . .”

“What are you talking about, Neelix?”

“Your . . .” Neelix leaned close so as not to be overheard. “Your affair,” he whispered.

Chakotay suddenly erupted into loud laughter. Not a common sound, which meant everyone in the Mess Hall heard it and looked up.

“Neelix, you are, without a doubt, the funniest individual I have ever met. I’m . . .” He looked round, noticing the rapt expressions on the crew’s faces, and he hunched closer to the startled Talaxian. “I’m not having an affair. The men from my tribe are allowed to take two wives. I’m planning to let a certain lady in on that fact.”

Neelix visibly relaxed. “That is such a relief to hear that. Didn’t want to come in to start breakfast one morning to find you fricasseed in my kitchen.”

“I’m not expecting that from B’Elanna, because she knows about this. It’s the reaction of the other lady that worries me.”

Neelix thought for a moment. “I have just the thing.”

Janeway sat in her quarters going over reports and missed the first chime. She looked up on the second chime. “Come in?”

No answer

With a frown, she rose and headed for the door. They parted to reveal no one there. A transporter beam behind her made her whirl in alarm - only to see a small vase, containing a single red rose, appear on her dining table. She stared at it in surprise.

Slowly she approached finding a small card beneath the vase. Lifting the vase she opened the tiny card to reveal the words:

Kathryn frowned. She had no idea what this was about, but she could tell the ‘who’ very easily. They had shared a close friendship, but exchanged no more than a few words off-duty since returning to Voyager two weeks before. That didn’t include all the ambiguous teasing, and the subtle hints he had been plying her with on the Bridge. But about their time on New Earth, neither had spoken a word.

She had no idea what to do about this. Chakotay was a married man. There was no way she could break up a relationship that was so obviously close and loving. She loved him, there was no denying that. And he loved her, no denying that fact, either. But, as far as the crew were concerned, she was the Captain and she had certain standards to maintain, protocols to adhere to.

She sighed and made her decision - she was going to do nothing.

Chakotay spent the next day on tender hooks hoping for some sign that, for one, she had received a rose, and for another had worked out who it was from. Nothing. Not a dickie. At lunch he rushed down to see Neelix.

“You did send the rose, didn’t you?”

“Yep, just as we planned.”

“That’s very odd. She never said so much as one word about it. There was not a sign at all about getting a rose last night.”

Neelix’s eyes gleamed with the challenge. “In that case, it’s on to plan B.”

Janeway was in her quarters recycling her dinner - half eaten as usual. As the humming from the recycling beam faded another sound came to her ears. Running water. She turned in the direction it was coming from. “Hello? Who’s there?”

No answer

With a frown, she headed for the door of her bedroom, and then crossed to the bathroom doors beyond. They opened, to reveal no one there and her bath was filling by itself. After a moment or two of watching it fill and them stop she lazily cut through the water with her fingers.

Ooh, perfect! Well, better not waste it, she thought.

She undressed and slipped into the water. A sudden transporter beam behind her made her start. She looked up at the stand beside the bath and saw a small vase, containing two red roses.

Not wishing to get out of the bath she reached out and carefully lifted the vase to feel around for what she instinctually knew would be there. She founding a small card beneath the vase. She opened the tiny card to reveal the words:

Her eyes drifted off into the middle distance. “Longer than you will ever know, Chakotay,” she said softly into the air.

The following day, no outward sign was given to indicate that she had enjoyed her gift, or that she had even gotten it. This was driving Chakotay crazy.

That night Kathryn almost expected to get a vase of roses. She didn’t. And that kept her awake all night thinking about it. She finally fell asleep just an hour before her wake-up call sounded.

Going to the bridge for her shift she crossed to her ready room and found a vase containing three red roses on her desk, and a card underneath. It bore the inscription:

She smiled a little at that. On looking round she found a small muslin cloth tied on top with a narrow ribbon. She took an end and gently pulled it. The muslin fell open to reveal freshly made caramel brownies, just like her mother used to make. Tempted beyond redemption she reached out and lifted one to her mouth. A moan of pleasure escaped her throat interrupted by the door chime.

Kathryn quickly chewed and swallowed, opened a drawer and carefully shut the evidence away out of sight.

“Come!”

The doors opened and in walked Chakotay. “Good Morning, Kathryn. Sleep well?”

“No, I had a terrible night,” she replied honestly. “Not to worry, though. I’ll just hit the hay earlier tonight,” she promised, by way of an after thought.

While she was engrossed in whatever she was looking at on her console, he glanced around - no roses. Damn! Did she ever quit and take the hint?

That night Janeway went straight to bed, too tired to think of anything, least of all food. And when she woke the following morning, the smell of fresh roses greeted her. She opened her eyes and saw four red roses. She smiled widely and sat up to read the card she knew would be beneath the vase;

“Two?” She frowned. “Two what?”

It distracted her for the entire day trying to find out what the hell he would have two of. And still no hint that she had gotten anything at all.

That night, Chakotay was driven almost to distraction. B’Elanna held him, calming his fears.

“It’ll be ok. You’ll see. She’ll find the next one any minute and it will change her mind.”

Chakotay lifted his head from her naked shoulder and gazed at her. “I only planned on four . . .hang on. Wait right there.” he sat up. “Computer, exact location of Captain Janeway, to the half-metre.”

“Captain Janeway is in her quarters, living area.”

“Perfect.” With no thought to his nakedness he rose and crossed to the replicator. “Computer, replicate one gold ring, 24 carat single diamond, surrounded by six red rubies, wrapped in a dark blue velvet box.” The box appeared and Chakotay opened it to take a peek, and slipped a prepared note inside.

“You never gave me something like that,” B’Elanna groused playfully.

“Hey, I thought I told you to stay put?” he replied softly. “Besides, I saved your life and dignity. You are alive, and I was your first. There can no greater gift that I could have given you, and none greater any woman has ever given me.”

B’Elanna smirked. “You old smoothie,” she said and kissed the end of his nose.

Naked, she sauntered back to bed and Chakotay forced his eyes shut. Breathing slowly he muttered a prayer under his breath. “Computer, has the captain gotten into bed yet?”

“Negative.”

“Beam the box and it’s contents into Captain Janeway’s bed, Chakotay sequence 5.”

The box vanished.

Kathryn yawned. And headed for the bedroom, undressing tiredly. She lifted the covers of the bed and lay down.

“Ouch!”

Kathryn reached down and brought out a dark velvet box. She sat up and opened it. The note fell out to reveal the ring. She looked at it in stunned amazement, and read the note;

“He’s serious!” she whispered.

In the bridge the following morning Kathryn said nothing, simply carried on her duties, took part in the usual banter, and then retired to her Ready Room. While there she read up several P.A.D.D.s, but them discarded them all. The pressing problem on her mind was not reports, but a certain question that had been posed, and the answer it necessitated.

“Computer, open all data on Dorvan 5, particularly the Sky Sprits and tribal law and customs concerning plural married.”

“No data available.”

Kathryn frowned. “What do you mean, ‘no data available‘?

“The Native American tribes who settled on Dorvan 5 and created the colony do not practice plural marriage. There are no files containing references to the Sky Spirits.”

Kathryn sank in her seat and then sat up. “Kathryn, you fool. Chakotay was not born on Dorvan 5, but her sister colony of Trebus,” she muttered to herself. “Computer, extend search parameters to include Dorvan 5’s alpha moon, Trebus.”

“45,708 references of the Sky Spirits, 611 references of plural marriage, polygamy, maintenance payments, housing and inheritance are available. Do you wish to narrow the search parameters?”

“That might be a good idea,” Kathryn voiced aloud. “Otherwise I’ll not come up for air for days.”

Kathryn lifted her eyes from the console and thought sadly. If only she had known this before New Earth - she would never have suggested them living in one shelter. Or maybe she was simply a good tease to the point of not even noticing the affect she had on men? She smirked at the possibilities. Chakotay had certainly been affected by her teasing.

She sat back in the chair and sighed. These were the most relevant passages in the entire text. The rest covered shared household duties, raising children, position in society, growing vegetables and raising livestock. Kathryn had a ship and crew. One could hardly cite those as ‘livestock’ or ‘village’, she mused with a smile. Children, maybe, but not livestock.

Chakotay looked at the clock. 14.00 hours. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to alleviate the sting of unshed tears that had haunted them these past few days. Today was the worst. The last day, by law. After to day he had no claim on Kathryn, even though he loved her. Had he imagined the love in her eyes?

Maybe he had.

14.03. The clock was ticking.

Kathryn switched the monitor off. She could not follow that particular law. She had to ignore it, had to follow protocol, married or not.

But what about protocol? What had Tuvok said? She opened the file and reread the entry.

That clinched it. She was no longer just ‘Captain’, to these people. She had to be a leader to them, create a new colony. That included fulfilling all the requirements of a colony. Go forth and multiply, as one ancient Prophet wrote.

Kathryn sat thinking about all she had read that morning. She and Chakotay had been back aboard for three weeks. She quickly checked the date. Four months - four months ended that night.

“Computer, where is Commander Chakotay?”

“Commander Chakotay is in his office.”

She stood and made for the door. As they opened she barked instructions. “Computer, initiate Long-Term Assignment Protocols. Commander Tuvok, you’ve just been promoted to first officer, make sure the crew are aware of the change of command. Lieutenant Kim?”

“Y-yes . . .Cap . . .I mean . . .”

“You better read up on your LTA’s, Harry,” she grinned. “To avoid any further delays by the Kazon rabble, Vidiian donor hunters or any other Delta quadrant riffraff, plot course and strategies.”

“Yes, ma’am-Admiral . . .uh Diplomat?”

She eyed him with amusement.

Kim grinned. “I’ll . . .brush up on my LTA’s,” he decided.

Kathryn nodded and turned to a still startled Tuvok. “I have some urgent . . .duties to perform, I’ll be off-duty until further notice.” her face pinked at the thought and she quickly entered the turbo-lift.

Two hours to go.

Chakotay gazed at the clock for what must have been the hundredth time that day. He sighed. He was losing his wife, and she obviously didn’t even realise what that meant for him, or what it did to him. She had no realisation for the enormity of what she was doing. He did not blame her, or hold her accountable, but his heart was breaking. If she did not come to him by nightfall, she would have, effectively, let him go - without ever knowing that she had been his. And time was running out.

One hour to go.

The door chimed.

Chakotay sighed, fixed his face into it’s usual expressionless gaze . . .

“Come in?”

The doors parted and Kathryn walked in, wearing his favourite dress.

“You’re out of uniform,” he blurted out.

“Captains don’t wear field-commission bars,” she returned nodding to his collar.

Chakotay stared at her. She knew . . .

“But I’m not here to talk shop, or even lack of proper dress. I’m here to fulfill a law,” she announced and kissed him chastely on the lips.

That did it.

Chakotay fastened his lips to hers clasping her body to his, letting her feel his body harden as he slowly rocked his pelvis against her. He pried her lips apart and leaned into her, feeling the console press against her buttocks.

Sandwiched between man and desk she felt his body press against her hardening, rubbing her nub. She gasped, feeling arousal course through her veins like hot plasma. It had been a long time, too long.

Chakotay was already pulling the fastenings of his pants apart, his urgency apparent, and not simply to fulfill a law. He wanted her, had wanted her since the day they had met.

Her hands came up to relieve him of his clothes, leaving his hands free to mould her breasts through her dress. One hand bunched up her skirt to feel her body, finding her devoid of under garments.

Chakotay gasped, grasping her buttocks pulling her closer. His dry humping became more earnest, more desperate. His breath thickened dusting her face with the scent of camomile tea.

His fingers fumbled with the zipper of her dress pulling it down her spine as her hand pulled off his jacket discarding it on the floor in a heap. His shirt came next, along with her dress.

Chakotay gazed at her, in the flesh, raw as the day she was born. “I want you,” he growled.

“Take me. I’m yours,” she replied.

She almost ripped off his tank top and briefs taking his kisses, feeling him pebble her nipples. His mouth lowered onto one breast suckling, kneading the other, and pressing her pelvis into the curve of his body.

He rocked against her hearing her sigh, and feeling her body arch into his, inviting, begging him to give her his all. He hard member pressed closer, as he lifted her leg over his hip to feel her wet and slick inner thighs.

He reached down to touch her nub which throbbed and ached for him. He rubbed the taught peak feeling her jerk and squirm, hearing her little cries or wanton desperation. He pressed a finger inside her core, pushing it in as far as he could reach, and added another. She was tight and so ready.

Lifting the other leg he thrust closer to her, his head beating a tattoo against her vulva. He eased inside, eyes closed feeling her tight walls close around him. A few thrusts more and he stilled, wanting this to last.

“Mine, Kathryn. You’re mine. Beautiful woman,” he grated. Suddenly he whirled them round, leaning back against the console and lifting her legs up beside him. “Take me,” he whispered and sank all the way home, pulling her to him feeling the slickness of her hot centre slide along his length. “Don’t want you to think I’m forcing you.”

“You’re mine, I’m yours.”

He smiled, trembling as he thrust in and out of her body. Skin slapped against skin, bodies cavorted together, breaths rushed out grunting and moaning names, tongues danced.

Chakotay gasped, lost his rhythm, and roared her name into the air. “Kathryn! I love you.”

Kathryn shuddered long and hard, sinking against him breathless. For long minutes they remained locked together, her body clenching around his still stiffened cock. Her fingers feathered his bronzed back, and his smoothed across her buttocks and outer thighs.

Chakotay held her sinking to his knees and laid her on the floor, still joined. Nestling within her limbs he kissed her lingeringly. He gazed down at her seeing the love in her eyes, and knowing that the smile on her lips was in recognition of the love in his.

“That was too fast. This time it will be slower,” he promised.

Slow thrusts filled her, her body taking him in to the hilt, the neck of her womb kissing his head. She was so ripe.

“I want babies,” he whispered. “Lot’s of them.” His hand swept down her side pulling her buttocks closer to him as he thrust in time to her movements. Kathryn arched.

“Plant the seed,” she invited.

Chakotay thrust harder and faster into her, fleeing her tight, slick walls only to rush back in to feel her body squeeze his thick shaft. “I intend to, right now. I want them. I want to see you so round you could burst like a fruit,” he told her.

Grinding his body against her nub her felt her shudder. He reached between them rubbing her swollen peak slowly and then quickly, and slowly again. Kathryn gasped and went rigid beneath him.

“Sing for me, my wife. Sing out to me.”

Kathryn sighed loudly, feeling the heat rise within her body. Her entire body trembled and he continued to take her higher. There was only one outcome - she was going to explode.

Chakotay huffed louder, his thrusts becoming faster and deeper, his rhythm lost all coherence. His release was fast approaching. He groaned with every breath driving hers out in noisy huffs against his face. Suddenly his body jolted spewing forth his seed right up inside her, white hot against her cervix, accompanied by her victory cry. Kathryn joined him, pouring out her soul in one long howl of orgasm.

Chakotay walked hand in hand with his wife along the corridors to his quarters. Once inside he called out loudly, with much pomp and ceremony.

“The Captain is home.” He heard a gasp from inside the bedroom. “Presenting my wife . . .” B’Elanna stepped into the room, “ . . .to my wife.”

“Captain?” B’Elanna suddenly realised what he meant, and squealed running to him, enveloping him in an embrace to rival all embraces. “LTA! My husband, I love you.” She kissed him, fully, lingeringly. Finally she turned to where Kathryn, who looked on in astonishment, and hugged her as well. It was blatantly obvious that Kathryn had had no idea that Chakotay’s other wife was B’Elanna.

Kathryn returned the embrace. Now that she thought about it, it did make sense, a lot of sense. And now that she thought about it, she wondered why she hadn’t considered her before.

B’Elanna pulled away and looked at them both, one hand on her hip the other resting on her top lip, as she always did in deep thought. “There’s only one problem,” she said looking serious.

“What?” Chakotay and Kathryn said together.

“You both smell of sex. Go take a shower, I‘ll get dinner.”

Kathryn turned positively red, and Chakotay simply turned away coughing with embarrassment as they both made for the bathroom. “Um, that’s something to do with Klingon heightened olfactory nerve, isn’t it?” Kathryn whispered, sounding desperate.

“I hope so, or the entire crew will know by half an hour ago,” he replied.

“Oh, wonderful,” she groused quietly.

“ . . .Not for me, Chakotay . . .for your son . . .”

Chakotay stared at the screen, rapt, horrified as he heard Seska’s cries. His son. She had born him a son. Damn her! Damn her to hell! Her bastard child was no seed of mine!

His feelings of disgust did not stay with him. His father put pay to any such thoughts of leaving the boy to his fate. Chakotay would go and get him. And as it turned out, the crew were behind him, even if they were not entirely sure how the little mite had come into being. They only guessed.

He carried her, he had to, and not for the excuse he had given Samantha. She knew that, and so did Kathryn when she saw him with the child in his arms. There was something familiar about the way he held the child. Perhaps he had taken care of other children at home, but that had been so long ago. Maybe he had children, Kathryn supposed, but then dismissed it. His file didn’t mention any children. But, then again, his file never mentioned a wife. And she still had not worked out who that first wife was.

The first night in their new home, temporary, as Kathryn strongly insisted, brought a diet of cucumber and mealworm omelettes. Tasty and filling when eaten with what looked like cotton wool, but tasted like bread. It grew in copious amounts across the valley. The Humans called it manna, after an ancient Hebrew miracle.

They huddled together for warmth Chakotay held B’Elanna and one side and Kathryn on the other. He had started with just Kathryn.

“You’re nice and warm to snuggle up to,” she commented lightly.

Chakotay grinned. “I’m glad to hear it. I could warm the entire village, my sister used to boast at school when we were little. The winters were sometimes hard, so sleeping together was probably a life-saver.” He felt B’Elanna against his back. He rolled slightly. “Hey, I can share.”

So he warmed two that night. Chakotay was in heaven.

The dawn broke cold and damp. Chakotay opened his eyes - no Kathryn. He raised his head and looked around. “Kathryn?” he called quietly.

He carefully extricated himself from B’Elanna’s arms and went outside. He found her retching her guts out near the entrance.

“Kathryn, are you alright?”

She simply shook her head and threw up again. “We’ll need . . .to keep . . .an eye on the . . .the rest of the crew,” he stammered trying to regain her breath. “I don’t want them all getting sick.”

“Stay there. I’ll get you some water.” Chakotay left her and returned a moment later. “Here. Drink it slowly.”

Kathryn took a mouthful and spat it out getting rid of the awful taste, before swallowing any water. “I may have fallen victim of some local virus or bacteria, Chakotay. We have no way of knowing if those cucumbers, the eggs or the mealworms were edible, or can even be metabolised by our bodies.” She lay back against the rocks and closed her eyes. She opened them when there seemed to be no answer forthcoming. She looked up at him. “Chakotay, did you hear what I said?”

“Yes, I’m just trying to figure out why it would be, if what you say is true, that it’s only you who is sick.”

Kathryn shrugged simply. “Easy. I was the one to eat first. I volunteered, remember? If anyone else gets sick, which is a very real possibility, they will do so within the next few hours.”

They didn’t.

Except Naomi.

During the second night Kes went missing. Again Kathryn woke retching. She was convinced that something in the local environment was making her sick.

Chakotay chuckled as he held her.

“What’s so funny?” she demanded.

“Well, a few weeks ago you were so intent on finding something in the environment that was keeping us from being sick. I’m just amused at the irony.”

“Easy for you to be amused. You’re not the one who’s sick.”

“But you’re not sick all the time, Kathryn.”

“No, but the dizzy spells are awful, the black-outs are awful, the light-headedness is awful, the nausea is awful, and together they are relentless. One follows on from another and so it goes on.”

He kissed her nose and cupped her cheek. “I’ll be back soon. We’re going to find Kes and Neelix. They can’t have gone far.”

“Be careful,” she said.

Chakotay left Kathryn and went in search of their missing friends. He found them less than half a kilometre away, surrounded by a rough-&-ready band of local tribesmen, who looked intent on bartering with each other for poor Kes.

He walked boldly into the circle catching the locals by surprise with his courage. He got them out, but the tribesmen insisted on following, and they made a run for it. They escaped into a tunnel, and barely escaped from a land eel losing another crewman to the creatures.

Getting back to the shelter was easy, the locals were too afraid of them to approach. Kathryn and B’Elanna held him tightly all night, not wanting to be parted from him. By morning Kathryn was just as sick as the previous two days, even though the meal the night before had been different; lungfish and root tubers and a few berries. Chakotay admitted feeling rather nauseous after eating that, but that was simply the vegetarian in him talking.

“Kathryn, love. I don’t think this is a virus.”

Kathryn looked up at him, gasping for breath. “What . . .is it then?”

Chakotay smiled softly. “I think . . .you’re having a baby.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she shot back

“Kathryn, think about it. The timing, for one.”

“That’s the most ludicrous idea you have ever had. I’m too old,” she said, but fell silent as she thought about it. Her voice lowered as she continued. “It’s possible. We’ve been together only . . .Chakotay, that would put us in a very difficult situation, wouldn’t it? We have to get back to Voyager. I couldn’t possibly have a baby here.”

“We will get back, Kathryn. I have never doubted it.”

They held each other for a long time, his hand resting on her flat stomach. He hoped and prayed he was right.

“The minute we get back, I want you in Sick Bay to be checked over. But first of all, powwow.”

Kathryn smiled. “Oh, yes. Our tribe’s leaders need to decide on the order of the day. Lead on.”

The meeting had barely begun when Kes came rushing out. Naomi was sick. Seconds after that the mountain erupted and they had to run for their lives. Chakotay heard the screams first, and without a second thought he pulled a woman to safety. It earned the respect of the tribesmen, who then led them to higher ground, where there was water, food and shelter.

They had been there barely six hours before a grey shape was seen flying straight at them from over the valley. Voyager was back.

Kathryn groaned at the sound of retching coming from the bathroom. At least is wasn’t her this time. Chakotay had gone into the bathroom moments before to find B’Elanna feeling wretched.

Kathryn rolled onto her back and groaned again. Something else made her catch her breath. She breathed deeply for a moment. “Chakotay?”

A few seconds past before she called again and groaned through a long breath as the door finally opened.

“Oh, no!” Chakotay stood still staring at her, his fears of reliving a past nightmare all came to the fore.

Kathryn sat up and held out her arms to him. He went to her sitting beside her encircling her in his arms. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. There will be a doctor with me, for one. You won’t be alone in a cave in the middle of nowhere, and there are drugs to help with the pain if I need them. Chakotay?”

“I know, Kathryn, but I’m still afraid for you.” He looked down and gently laid a hand on his wife’s belly. “Happy Birthday, little one,” he said.

B’Elanna came out of the bathroom and saw them together. “What’s wrong?”

“Kathryn thinks she’s in labour.”

Kathryn breathed deeply and groaned as the contraction peaked. “No, I don’t think, this is labour.”

“They’re close together for a first baby, aren’t they?” he asked worriedly.

“I may have slept through a fair portion of it, or I may be faster than most. Every woman is different.”

“Let’s get you dressed and to Sick Bay, sweet mother-to-be of mine. B’Elanna, feeling ok?”

“Yeah, much better. And I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

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