Disclaimer: Star Trek and Star Trek: Voyager are the property of Paramount Pictures and Viacom. I make no money off of this story what so ever. No copyright infringement intended.
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Note: This is the prequel to "Broken Dome"
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Note 2: Potato latke is just simply potato pancakes.
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The Bittersweet Celebration
by Tamar Richardson
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"Computer, deactivate fire control systems for these quarters," Janeway ordered. She knew she would have to sit through one of Tuvok's firm lectures if he ever found out, but she really didn't care. Besides, Kathryn had gotten away with this for the past 5 years, why should this year be any different?
She walked over towards the window, where the menorah sat. The Captain struck a match and ignited the middle candle. She then took the candle and lit the first candle. It was officially Chanukah again.
Excitement bubbled within her. Although her Jewish ancestry stopped with her grandma Judith, Janeway had always loved this holiday. It had always brought back memories of magical holidays spent at her grandmother's.
A little off key, Kathryn began to to sing, "O Chanukah, O Chanukah. The sweet celebration-"
*bleep*
She groaned in frustration. Kathryn got up and opened the door. "Yes?"
"Hi, Kathryn," Chakotay greeted.
"Is there something wrong, Chakotay?"
"No," he replied. "We were just supposed to have dinner together."
She brought her hand up to her head, and rubbed it. In all the excitement finally finding an alien species who was willing to trade with them (in order to acquire the dilithium they needed badly) and the holiday, she had forgotten to meet with Chakotay for dinner. "I'm so sorry," she lamented. "It's not too late, is it?"
"For you? Never." He smiled revealing those intoxicating dimples. It had over month since she had confessed her feelings towards him. The incident with the Planet Killer still fresh in her mind, Kathryn had told Chakotay that she loved him with all her heart. The mere thought of it still sent shivers up her spine.
"Why don't you come in and sit down, while I go change."
Chakotay stepped in and sat down on the nearby sofa. Immediately, the menorah caught his eye. "I wasn't aware you celebrated Chanukah," he called to her in the next room.
"Yes," she replied. "My grandmother was of the faith." About a minute later, Kathryn walked out the bedroom dressed in black pants and an un-tucked beige top.
"You look wonderful," he complimented.
"Thank you," she said seductively. Kathryn walked over towards where he was sitting and kissed him lightly. Chakotay started to kiss her back when...
*whoosh*
"Captain, I must speak with you on a matter of utmost importance," Seven interrupted.
The obviously frustrated Captain spoke, "Seven, remind me to give you a lesson in manners when I have some free time."
"The Doctor has already been teaching me so- called- manners. I assure his guidance is quite sufficient."
"I see," Kathryn nodded with a touch of sarcasm. "Anyway, what 'matter of utmost importance' did you wish to speak to me on?"
"We have reached the Jynai homeworld. They are demanding your presence on the planet's surface," Seven reported.
Kathryn turned to Chakotay, "I guess we'll have to put off dinner till later." He nodded his reply and watched as she walked back into the bedroom to change back into her uniform.
**********
The Captain stepped out of her quarters only to run into Seven, who had been waiting tentatively outside since her dismal. "Captain, I wish to ask you something."
"Yes?" Kathryn started walking towards the transporter, while Seven followed.
"I wish to accompany the away team to the surface."
"It's just negotiations, Seven. You'll be bored."
"Earlier, I was listening to Mr. Neelix talk about his past negotiations and I must admit I was intrigued. And I wish to have such an experience for myself."
Kathryn thought about it for a minute and smiled, "I don't see why not."
**********
Kathryn lit the third candle. She had no words to describe the amount of stress the negotiations had put on her. It felt so nice to get back to her quarters and light the candles. It was almost like the candles fed off of her stress, took it all away, and they burned brighter because of it.
*beep*
"Come in," she called.
"Hello, Kathryn." Two arms encircled behind her, while two lips pressed against her hair. Chakotay's head snaked over her shoulder, and he whispered in her ear, "I got you something," he pressed a small top-like object into her hand.
Kathryn smiled, "A dreidel."
"Perhaps, we can replicate some of that gold-wrapped chocolate," he joked. "Speaking of which, you still owe me that dinner."
Kathryn smiled and turned around. "Let's go."
**********
Kathryn and Chakotay walked into the Mess Hall and were instantly greeted by Neelix. "Captain! Commander! My, my, this is a pleasant surprise. What can I get you this evening? Perhaps some potato latkes? I understand it's customary to eat it around this time of year."
"How did you know..." Kathryn was shocked. The only person on this ship she had told was... Janeway turned around and gave Chakotay an "I'll get you for this later" look. "Yes, Neelix," she responded. "That's sounds wonderful."
"I'll have some, too," Chakotay said.
They took their food and walk over to a nearby empty table. "I can't believe you did that," Kathryn said the moment they sat down. "I don't want the whole crew coming up to me and wishing me a 'Happy Chanukah'."
"Relax, Kathryn," he replied. "I only told Neelix. I also told him to keep quiet about it, and if we can't trust Neelix, there's nobody left to trust."
She smiled, "You right."
"So, how are the negations going?"
"Stressful. If we don't finish this by the end of tomorrow, their traditions demands that the whole landing party be locked in a room with their delegates, until we come to a census."
"Sounds fun," Chakotay joked. "And Seven of Nine, what does she think of the negations?"
"Seven? She couldn't be happier. She finds the whole process 'fascinating'," they laughed. "I'm almost tempted to put her in charge of the whole thing, so I can get some rest." They laughed even harder. This was going to be a nice quiet evening with man she loved.
**********
"Ensign, activate transporters," the Captain ordered. She loathed the thought of having to go back down to the surface. As much as Voyager needed the dilithium, Kathryn wished this would all end.
The transporter engulfed the away team and sent them to the planet's surface. Only, instead of being greeted by the traditional Jynai delegates, a different alien species was waiting for them.
"Hello?" Janeway asked. "Where are the Jynai?"
"Gone," one of the aliens answered.
"Gone? Gone where?" she pursued.
"It doesn't matter." The alien motioned for the aliens to take the away team's phasers and commbadges. "This way." He pointed the direction with his phaser.
**********
"We should being trying to escape, not sitting here waiting for them to capture the ship and then kill us," Seven argued with her Captain.
"Not now Seven," Janeway whispered back. "Be patient."
"I will not comply." Despite all her years on Voyager, Seven occasionally reverted back to Borg mode. It comforted her, almost like seeing a familiar face.
Unfortunately, there was more than a threat to her words. Seven leapt up and attacked one of their alien captors. The struggled for a moment, but only a moment Another alien took his phaser and shot Seven. Before any of them could react, a transporter beam engulfed them.
They rematerilized seconds later, but it felt like hours to Janeway. She pointed at Seven, "Get her to Sickbay, immediately."
**********
"Well?" the Captain asked as soon as the Doctor finished his scans.
"It's too soon to tell. At this point, she's holding her own. It's now up to Seven to get better." The Doctor had been just as disturbed by the alien invaders as Janeway.
"Isn't there something else we can do? Some way to use her Borg technology to repair the damage?" Janeway pried.
"No, there isn't anything I can do."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive, Captain, if I had found something, don't you think I would have used it already!" he exploded. There was a pause. "I'm sorry, Captain. This isn't easy for me: to watch her lay there, somewhere between life and death, and there's nothing I can do."
Janeway walked up to the bio-bed and stroked Seven's cheek, much like a mother would do to her daughter, "It's okay, Doctor. I understand. Seven is just one of those special human beings who comes along once in a lifetime. It's hard to see one such as her in pain, suffering," she paused. "If you'll excuse me."
She turned around and walked blindly out of Sickbay, down the corridor, and into the turbolift. Kathryn's head was spinning. All she could think of was Seven lying lifeless on the bio-bed. The Captain sucked in a deep breath of air. She wouldn't loose control. She had to be strong, for the crew's sake.
Finally, she reached her quarters. Kathryn immediately went over to the menorah and lit the fourth candle. Staring into the flames always soothed her, but she didn't want to be soothed. How could she think of her own innerpeace, when Seven might die. Kathryn looked away and began crying.
**********
Kathryn took the middle candle of the menorah and lit the sixth candle. It had been two days since Seven had been injured, and there was still no word. She was still hanging somewhere in the middle of life and death.
*bleep*
"Come in," she called.
Chakotay stepped into the dim room, lighted only by the menorah. "Hello?" he ventured.
Still turned toward the menorah, she mumbled, "Hi."
"How are you?"
"Not well," she replied, starting to cry, "Seven she's so young. She
still has so much ahead of her. She
"You blame yourself," he said, bluntly.
She stood up and turned to face him and yelled, "Of course I blame myself! All I had to do was push her aside, and take the phaser blast myself. I should be lying in that Sickbay instead of her. I should be somewhere between life and death, not Seven!"
Immediate silence, they each stood there, staring fiercely into the other's eyes. "I'll admit, Kathryn, that the relationship you have with Seven is special. You're more than her mentor, almost a mother to her. I hope she realizes just how lucky she is," Chakotay breathed in slowly, "But that wasn't why I came here."
"Then why?"
"The Jynai just contacted us on subspace. The aliens that attacked the away team are known as the M'tok. They live on a neighboring M-Class planet. Turns out the Jynai and the M'tok have been at war for centuries. By opening trade negations with the Jynai, we provoked the M'tok. They thought we were selling the Jynai weapons. The M'tok team that captured you was part of a reconnaissance mission. You weren't in a hostage situation; it was suppose to be an interrogation. They simply wanted information."
"Gods," Kathryn said under her breath. "Get out!" she shouted.
"Kathryn, if you want-"
"I said, 'GET OUT!!!"
Shocked and dismayed, Chakotay left.
**********
Janeway took the middle candle of the menorah and lit the eighth candle. Four days later and still nothing. There was no news on the Seven front. The Jynai still hadn't said anything further on the attack or the negations. Gods, Kathryn thought, I hate waiting.
A voice came over the comm, "Captain," the Doctor said, "I think you better get down to Sickbay, now." She couldn't read the tone in his voice, she couldn't tell if it was good or bad news.
"Affirmative," she answered. What choice did she have? Slowly, dreading to hear anything bad, Kathryn got up off the floor and left. Without feeling, without emotion, she walked down the hall and into the turbolift. A numbness had engulfed her several days ago. She had felt total nothingness. But somehow, she knew that her lack of feelings would disappear within the next few minutes (for better or for worse).
The Sickbay door opened. The Doctor closed his tricorder. "I'm sorry,
Captain.
"No," she said to herself, not believing her own eyes. Holding back a million unshed tears, Kathryn turned around and left.
**********
*bleep*
The door swooshed open, and Chakotay entered, "I heard."
No response. Kathryn sat there, staring into the flames, trying to escape from the pain she felt. It washed over her like some sick, disgusting sea.
"The Jynai contacted us. They've secured everything. We can go back and finish the neogations," he informed.
Again, no response.
"I'll to go down to the surface and finish the trade negations if you like," Chakotay said to her back. Again, she just sat there mesmerized by the candles. The catatonic state Kathryn had trapped herself in, worried Chakotay. This was worse than her yelling at him or the monotonous responses he had once received.
Finally, Kathryn waved her hand over her shoulder as if saying, "Go ahead, I need to be alone anyhow." Chakotay turned and left her alone.
After starring at them for quite some time, Kathryn got up, and, one by one, extinguished the eight lit candles, "Computer, reactivate fire control system."
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