"A Separate Peace"
by Andra Marie Mueller

PART FIFTEEN : 'Betrayal'

SUMMARY : The Maquis discover a traitor in their midst

See Part one for author's notes and disclaimer

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STARFLEET ACADEMY

Mark Johnson was on his way to the central library when his assistant, Christy Moore, intercepted him. "Doctor Johnson, I’m glad I caught you," she said. "Admiral Janeway sent me to find you. He’s in your office waiting to talk with you."

Something’s happened to Kat, Mark surmised silently. Tossing off a curt ‘Thank you" to Moore, he shifted directions and quickly made his way back to his office. Walking inside, he discovered a pensive Edward Janeway waiting for him.

"Edward," Mark greeted. "What’s happened to Kat?"

"I think perhaps you’d better sit down for this, Mark," Janeway suggested.

` "Just tell me what’s going on," Mark requested.

Janeway released a heavy sigh. "Kathryn was abducted off of Voyager and is a prisoner of the Maquis," he informed the younger man.

"Is she all right?" Mark pressed.

"That depends on your point of view," Janeway evaded. "She hasn’t been physically harmed, but her emotional state is most likely not a good one."

"What are you talking about?"

Janeway met the younger man’s gaze. "Kathryn’s captor is Chakotay."

"Son of a bitch!" Mark exclaimed.

"My sentiments exactly."

"What rock did he crawl out from under, and what the hell is he doing with Kat?"

"I don’t know. He had the audacity to send a message to Bruce Morgan confessing to the kidnapping and assuring him that Kathryn would not be harmed while in his care."

Mark snorted. "Yeah, right."

"I’m not any happier about the situation than you are, Mark, but we have to trust that Chakotay will keep his word and not harm Kathryn."

"What does Starfleet intend to do about getting her back?"

"Nothing at the moment. Aside from the situation with the Cardassians and the Dominion, we don’t know where he’s holding her."

"That’s just great," Mark muttered sarcastically.

"As soon as I get any more information I’ll pass it along to you," Janeway promised. "I just wanted to make sure you heard about Kathryn’s kidnapping from me."

"I appreciate you taking the time to deliver the message personally, Edward," Mark replied. "If you or Gretchen need anything, please contact me."

"We will."

The two men exchanged a handshake, then Janeway exited Mark’s office. Mark watched him go and waited until the door was shut before strolling over to his desk. Placing his hands on the edge of the wood frame, he took a few deep breaths before a large paperweight next to his computer caught his attention. Picking it up, he held it in his hand for a moment as if testing its weight, then suddenly hurled it against the wall as he let out a shout of anger.

 

CORNELLIA COLONY

One week later, Chakotay had completely recovered. In between Maquis business, he had spent as much time as possible with Janeway, and the two were slowly but surely drawing closer. Early one afternoon, Chakotay was walking through the compound while talking to Red Hawk about the situation with the Dominion.

"If these new allies of the Cardassians do instigate a hostile takeover of Federation space, it may be a good idea for us to relocate somewhere a little less close to the battleground," Chakotay said.

"We’ve been on Cornellia for five years, Chakotay," Red Hawk reminded him "We worked hard to establish our base here, and our people aren’t going to give it up without a fight."

"The alternative is trying to take on an enemy fleet that has even the Federation running scared. Personally I’d rather not get in their way if we don’t have to."

"Even if we do convince the others to leave Cornellia, where would we go? If the Dominion gains control of this quadrant, they’ll hunt us down even more relentlessly than Starfleet."

"I’m open to suggestions."

"Since when?"

"Very funny."

Just then, the two men heard a commotion at the other side of the plaza. Glancing over, they spotted Seska arguing with Paris.

"Looks like another happy day," Red Hawk said dryly.

Chakotay shot Red Hawk a faint smile, then walked over to intervene. "What’s going on?" he demanded.

"I caught her trying to send an encoded transmission off-planet," Paris declared. "I couldn’t determine its destination, but the encryption sequence was Cardassian."

Chakotay glanced expectantly at Seska. "Care to explain yourself?"

"Last night Korran and I spotted an Orion ship in orbit on the far side of the planet," Seska said. "I didn’t want them to cause any trouble, so I was trying to warn them off by sending a phony Cardassian military transmission over subspace, hoping they’d detect it and leave us alone."

"A clever idea," Chakotay conceded. "Unfortunately for you, it’s also a lie."

"Captain…" Seska began.

"Save it!" Chakotay snapped. "I saw Korran this morning, and he didn’t mention anything about an Orion ship. Now given my generous mood today, I’m going to give you thirty seconds to come up with one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you where you stand."

Seska hesitated for the briefest of moments before launching herself at Chakotay with an enraged howl to rake her nails across his cheeks, leaving deep furrows in their wake. Unprepared for the attack, Chakotay staggered backward a couple of steps, and Seska took advantage of his distraction to bolt for the woods. Paris automatically lifted his phaser rifle to bring her down, and he felled her with a single shot.

"Take her to the holding cell and call me when she comes to," Chakotay instructed. "I want her under constant surveillance."

"Yes, sir."

"Once Seska’s secured, contact B’Elanna and have her alter the computer security codes to lock Seska out, then start a trace on her transmission. I want to know where and to whom it was being sent."

"I’m on it, Captain."

Paris headed off to tend to Seska as Chakotay made his way toward the infirmary. He was halfway to his destination when Janeway emerged from the nearby galley and frowned at the sight of his injured face. Lifting her hand to cup his chin, she gently twisted his head sideways to get a better look at his injured cheeks, the gouges now seeping blood.

"What happened to you?" she questioned.

"Tom caught Seska tampering with the communications system, and she didn’t react very well when I confronted her about it.".

"Obviously," Janeway said dryly. "Why is it that whenever I leave you alone for longer than five minutes you wind up requiring medical care?"

"Maybe it’s a sign that you shouldn’t let me out of your sight," Chakotay suggested.

"Very funny."

"As long as you’re here, why don’t you walk me the rest of the way to the infirmary? I would hate to pass out on Julian’s doorstep."

Janeway rolled her eyes in exasperation but nonetheless accompanied him to the infirmary.

 

Inside the cell that Janeway had occupied two weeks earlier, Seska sat on the floor with her back against the wall, staring into nothingness as she awaited Chakotay’s arrival. Although mostly unconcerned about her fate, she was mildly curious as to what form Chakotay’s retaliation for her treachery would take.

He doesn’t have the guts to kill me, she mused. Maybe he’ll just try to beat the information he wants out of me.

Lost in thought, Seska did not hear the footsteps signaling Chakotay’s arrival, and she started slightly when the forcefield keeping her in place disappeared with an audible fizzle. Glancing toward the entryway, Seska discovered Chakotay standing just inside the cell, with Paris, Terven Darjenko and Red Hawk flanking him from behind and brandishing phaser rifles.

"Are those phaser rifles, Gentlemen, or are you just happy to see me?" Seska inquired dryly.

"Stand up," Chakotay ordered curtly.

"Say please," Seska responded.

Chakotay took a step toward her, his tone as cold as her cell. "Stand up."

Releasing an exaggerated sigh, Seska got to her feet and glanced at Chakotay expectantly. "Now do you want me to pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time?" she prompted sarcastically.

"I’m glad you find this so amusing, Seska. Perhaps it will make an impression on your Prophets that you died laughing."

Seska snorted. "You don’t have what it takes to kill me, Chakotay," she taunted.

"Don’t tempt me," Chakotay countered. "What was in that transmission and where was it going?"

"I was sending my Christmas list to Santa Claus."

"I’m in no mood for your games, Seska!" Chakotay snapped. "If you cooperate now, I might be willing to let you live."

"You’ll forgive me if I don’t fall at your feet in gratitude."

Chakotay closed the distance between them and delivered a vicious blow to her face, sending her crashing into the wall.

"Having witnessed firsthand how I deal with liars, I should think you would be a little more forthcoming with your information. Now I ask you again, what was in that transmission and where was it going?"

"Go to hell!" Seska shot back.

` "If I do, I’m certain I’ll see you there."

Turning on his heel, Chakotay walked out of the cell, then reactivated the force field before turning to face the others.

"Terven, you and Tom have the first watch. I want her under constant supervision, and no one goes into the cell unarmed. If she changes her mind and decides to talk, contact me. Otherwise she can spend the next seventy-two hours in here without food or water and think about how long she wants to keep her secrets to herself."

"Aye, Captain."

Casting a final glare at Seska, Chakotay exited the prison shadowed by Red Hawk.

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Part 16