"A Separate Peace"
by Andra Marie Mueller

PART TWO : 'Reunion'

SUMMARY : Kathryn comes face to face with Chakotay

See Part one for author's notes and disclaimer

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CORNELLIA COLONY

"This was a bad idea," Brev declared.

"You said that two days ago," Darjenko reminded him dryly.

Brev ignored the jibe. "We may as well have taken a paintbrush and made a giant target in the middle of the compound. That way when Starfleet shows up with the rescue party, they’ll know exactly where to find us."

Darjenko afforded him a brief glance. "If you’re so uptight about Janeway being here, why don’t you take it up with the captain?" he suggested.

Brev snorted. "Oh sure, and while I’m at it why don’t I pick out which bone in my body I want him to break first?" came the sarcastic response.

"I’m not any happier about her being here than you are, Korran, but I sure as hell know better than to complain about it."

"He’s practically asking Starfleet to come looking for us, Terven. Does he really think they’re going to let the abduction of one of their own go unanswered?"

"Korran has a point," Serena Darjenko interjected, earning her a curious look from her husband.

"Care to elaborate on that?" Darjenko prompted.

The beautiful Betazoid shrugged. "It’s fairly self-explanatory," she answered. "By taking Janeway off her ship and bringing her here, the captain has placed us all in jeopardy. When the Federation gets wind of what we’ve done, they’re going to be furious."

"At the risk of pointing out the obvious," Darjenko returned, "everything we do pisses off the Federation. In any event, the captain’s reasons for kidnapping Janeway are his own. I strongly suggest you keep any complaints you have to yourselves, because he didn’t issue the ‘hands-off’ order just for show."

"Maybe not," Serena allowed, "but he’s going to have hell to pay to get her in his bed."

Darjenko chuckled. "As I recall, my love, you once said the same thing about us," he reminded her. "It took me less than six weeks to change your mind."

"You were just an arrogant ass," Serena countered. "Janeway and the captain are enemies, and she’s his prisoner. It’s going to take more than his infamous charm to get him across those battle lines."

"And what would you know about Chakotay’s infamous charm?" Darjenko prompted.

Serena smiled sweetly. "More than you’d like," she answered. "Face it, Imzadi: He’s got a way with women."

"So would I if I looked like he does," Brev interjected dryly.

Darjenko shook his head. "Ask a stupid question…." he mumbled. Aloud he said, "The bottom line is that Janeway is Chakotay’s problem, not ours. I just hope that anyone else who feels about it the way we do has enough sense not to do anything about it."

On the other side of the Maquis compound, sequestered in a cell that was smaller than her Ready Room and nearly cold enough to freeze the blood in her veins, Janeway awaited the inevitable return of her guard, a surly Romulan named R’Vek. R’Vek had made it clear from the start that nothing would give him greater pleasure than driving his dagger into her heart, but he had yet to act on any of the menacing promises he had made in words and action.

Janeway had been imprisoned for two days, following the skirmish between the Maquis warships and Voyager. During that time, her concern for her crew had warred with her lesser concern for her own fate and, combined with her anger over being abducted off her own Bridge, had added a dangerous edge to her already formidable temper. The proverbial icing on the cake had been when R’Vek deposited her in this black hole of a cell to salvage her battered ego and await the summons of her mysterious captor.

"The Captain," they called him, as if a regular name would be unworthy of a man of his stature. Well, Janeway was a captain, too, and even a Maquis would have received better treatment at her hands than she was receiving at the hands of her Maquis counterpart. No interrogation to protest, no torture to endure; it was as if this "Captain" was purposely demonstrating just how little merit a Starfleet prisoner warranted.

Swatting at a fly would take more effort than he is willing to give to dealing with me, Janeway thought angrily.

Janeway’s thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of R’Vek, who cast her a hateful glare as he entered a security code into the monitor on the wall. The forcefield preventing Janeway’s escape disappeared with an audible fizzle, and he stepped back.

"The captain will see you now," he said. "Just remember that you’re only alive because he wants it that way."

Janeway stepped through the doorway, then turned to face R’Vek. "Where’s my crew?" she asked.

"Shut up, Human!" R’Vek snarled. "I didn’t give you permission to talk."

Janeway snorted. "Ask me how much I don’t care,’ she retorted. "Where’s—"

A blow across the face from R’Vek nearly knocked her off her feet. "I told you to shut up!" he snapped. "If you speak out of turn again, orders or not I’ll cut your tongue from your throat!"

Janeway shot him an icy glare as she gingerly wiped the blood from her split lip but wisely refrained from provoking R’Vek further as they made their way through the compound. As they walked, Janeway scanned her surroundings, making a mental note of which areas were guarded and which were not for future reference. A few minutes later they reached the edifice serving as the command center for the Maquis. A pair of guards stood next to the door; one was Human, the other a Bajoran Janeway recognized from the group that had taken her off Voyager. "I remember you," she said. "You were on my ship."

"Yes, ma’am."

Janeway glanced at the Human guard. "You’re Owen Paris’s son, aren’t you?"

"Unfortunately," Paris responded. "Have we met?"

"No, but you look like your father."

"We all have our crosses to bear." Paris glanced at R’Vek. "I assume you’re taking her to the captain?"

"Yes. He’s decided it’s time to give his…guest…a personal welcome."

"Seska’s going to be furious when she finds out."

"Perhaps you should consider switching your taste from Klingon to Bajoran, Paris," R’Vek suggested. "Seska would prove to be quite a prize."

"I’m no one’s prize, R’Vek," a female voice declared from behind them, and the four turned to see Seska enter the building. She was clearly Bajoran, with dark brown hair hanging to her waist and green eyes glaring angrily at Janeway. As she approached the captain, Janeway could sense an aura of danger about Seska that was almost tangible and made a mental note to be on her guard while in the other woman’s presence.

She looks like she wants to take me apart one piece at a time with her bare hands, Janeway observed. If I’m not careful she may do just that.

"You must be the captain’s new toy," Seska replied, positioning herself less than a foot in front of Janeway. "Enjoy it while you can, because once he tires of you – and I assure you, he will – he’ll give you to the others for entertainment value."

Not one for intimidation, Janeway could give as good as she got. "Speaking from personal experience, perhaps?"

The Bajoran’s smug smirk turned to an angry scowl, and she lifted her arm in an attempt to punch Janeway. The captain, however, had learned from her scuffle with R’Vek and blocked the blow before knocking Seska to the ground with one of her own.

"If that’s the best you can do, it explains why you were so easily replaced," Janeway taunted.

"You’ll pay for that, bitch!"

Seska scrambled to her feet and took a step toward Janeway, but the others quickly intervened. R’Vek pulled Janeway out of striking distance while Paris and his companion restrained Seska just as a rich, masculine chuckle alerted them to the presence of another spectator. The group glanced toward the source of the laugh to discover a Human male standing a few feet away. From the shift in body language his presence evoked, Janeway surmised him to be their captain. It took less than thirty seconds for his identity to register on Janeway, and she felt her heart skip a beat as a shadow of surprised recognition flashed across her features.

Dear God…Chakotay…

Torn between relief that he was still alive and anger that he was responsible for her capture, Janeway wrestled to get her emotions under control as she silently noted the changes in him fifteen years had made. He was as darkly handsome at forty-five as he had been the day she met him, although his black hair was now sprinkled with gray and his bronzed face sported an unusual tattoo across his left temple.

"You’re losing your touch, Seska," Chakotay chided. "I do believe that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you knocked on your lovely behind."

"I’m glad you find this so amusing, Chakotay," Seska snapped. "If you want to keep your newest paramour in one piece long enough to enjoy her, I suggest you teach her some manners."

Crossing over to stand in front of Seska, Chakotay flashed her a cold, emotionless smile. "I don’t respond very well to threats, Seska, so I suggest you brush up on your own manners before I have to give you a refresher course."

The steel in his tone was not lost on Seska, and she blanched. "I apologize, Captain," she said quickly. "I wasn’t thinking."

"Obviously not." Chakotay turned his attention to Janeway and frowned at the slight trickle of blood on her lip, as well as the fresh bruise darkening her cheek. "What happened to her face, R’Vek?"

"An accident, Captain," R’Vek lied smoothly. "She slipped in her cell and hit a rock."

Chakotay glanced at Janeway. "Is that true?"

Janeway paused, unsure what reaction the truth would earn her. Chakotay noticed her hesitation, however, and addressed it: "Tell me the truth, Captain. I promise there will be no retaliation against you."

"R’Vek hit me," Janeway said simply.

Chakotay gave a curt nod of acknowledgement, then without warning lashed out to smash R’Vek dead center in the face, breaking his nose and sending him crashing to the floor.

"Laying your hands on Janeway was your first mistake, R’Vek," Chakotay said tautly. "Lying to me about it will be your last. You’ve got ten minutes to get off this planet, or I’ll put you into the cell that you put Janeway in and leave you there to rot."

"I have been a loyal follower for you, Captain," R’Vek declared, "yet you would cast me out for hitting this piece of Starfleet trash?"

Chakotay’s hand reflexively curled into a fist, clenching and unclenching menacingly on the end of his arm. "Nine minutes and forty-five seconds, R’Vek."

"This is not finished, Captain," R’Vek warned and cast a final icy glare at Janeway before storming out of the room. Once he was gone, Chakotay returned his attention to Janeway.

"I apologize for R’Vek’s behavior, Captain. I assure you it will be the last time any of my people mistreats you."

"Where’s my crew?" Janeway demanded.

"On your ship and on their way home."

"How many of them did you kill?"

"None of your officers died during our battle in the Badlands, Captain."

"So you say," Janeway shot back, earning her a warning look from Chakotay.

"I’m not used to having my word questioned, Captain, so I suggest you refrain from doing so in the future," he cautioned.

"Or what? You’ll break my nose, too?"

"I’m not in the mood for your sharp tongue, Captain. Find a way to silence it or I will." Chakotay turned to the Bajoran guard standing next to Paris. "Ean, would you please escort Captain Janeway to the infirmary? Have Julian replicate her some clean clothes and tend to her injuries. I’ll join you there in a few minutes."

"Yes, sir," Ean responded. "Captain Janeway, if you’ll follow me?"

Shooting a final glare at Chakotay, Janeway headed off to the infirmary with Ean. Once they were gone, Chakotay addressed Seska.

"Pay close attention, Seska, because I’m only going to say this once: Stay away from Janeway. If I find out you’ve so much as looked at her the wrong way, I’ll send you to meet your Prophets one piece at a time."

Seska shook her head. "She must be something to have you this hooked without even having her in your bed," she mumbled.

Chakotay immediately backhanded Seska. "Who is or isn’t sharing my bed is no longer your concern!" he snarled. "Now get out of my sight!"

Seska quickly made herself scarce as Paris stepped closer to his captain.

"She’s going to be trouble," he remarked.

"Has she ever been anything else?" Chakotay returned wryly.

"This might be a good time to tell you that Seska’s not the only one who is less than pleased with Janeway’s presence here," Paris revealed. "A lot of our people think we’re courting Federation retaliation by taking a Starfleet captain prisoner."

"Last time I checked, our mere existence courted Federation retaliation," Chakotay pointed out. "As for Captain Janeway, she’s my concern, and anyone who has a problem with that can tell it to me personally. In the meantime, the hands-off order still stands. No one gets within fifty feet of her unless they clear it with me. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Paris said. "Just out of curiosity, Captain, what is it with you and Captain Janeway anyway?"

Chakotay flashed him a faint smile. "Let’s just say that the lady and I have a history, Commander, and unfinished business which I intend to settle once and for all."

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Part 3