"A Separate Peace"
by Andra Marie Mueller

PART TWENTY-FOUR : 'Duty Calls'

SUMMARY : New orders from Starfleet force Janeway back to work.

See Part one for author's notes and disclaimer

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DEEP SPACE NINE

In Ops, Sisko and Kira were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Starfleet reinforcements while keeping watch on the Dominion and Cardassian ships.

"Hail the Defiant."

Kira ran a hand along her panel. "Channel’s open, Captain."

"Sisko to Worf. What’s your status, Commander?"

"The Defiant is positioned directly between the station and the enemy ships," Worf told him. "Weapons and shields are on stand-by, and long range sensors detect two Starfleet ships proceeding toward our location at maximum warp. They should arrive momentarily."

"If our sensors have detected them then it’s a safe bet that the other ships’ sensors have, too," Kira cautioned.

Sisko afforded her a brief glance. "Our friends out there aren’t expecting the cavalry to show up," he replied. "I don’t think they’re scanning anything other than the station at the moment."

"I hope you’re right."

"Hold your position, Commander," Sisko directed to Worf. "Do not engage the other ships unless they strike first."

"Aye, Captain. Worf out."

No sooner had the Klingon signed off than Kira’s computer beeped, and she checked her panel before glancing at Sisko.

"The Excelsior has just dropped out of warp twenty kilometers off the Dominion cruiser’s port bow."

"Send a massage to Captain Bennett telling him to hold his position until Voyager arrives," Sisko instructed. "I don’t want to start this party until all our guests are here."

"Yes, sir."

 

U.S.S. VOYAGER

"We’re approaching Deep Space Nine, Commander," Kim announced.

Cavit glanced at the helm. "Take us out of warp, Mister Stadi, and position us within spitting distance of the lead Cardassian ship."

"Aye, sir."

Stadi shut down the warp engines, and Voyager cruised into position on the side of the Dominion ship opposite the Excelsior.

"Looks like the gang’s all here," Cavit remarked, and got to his feet. "Ensign Kim, open a channel to DS9."

"Channel open, sir."

"On screen."

The image of the starfield was immediately replaced by the image of Ops, and Cavit acknowledged Kira with a brief glance before addressing Sisko.

"Captain Sisko," he greeted. "I hope we haven’t missed any of the fun."

"Not at all, Commander," Sisko responded. ‘We’ve just been engaged in a staring contest with the other ships for almost ninety minutes."

"Any sign of additional Dominion or Cardassian forces?" Cavit asked.

"Not yet, but now that the odds have shifted in our favor, things are bound to get interesting."

"They always do with Cardassians."

"Where’s Captain Janeway?"

"Captain Janeway is…indisposed, at the moment. She’s in Sickbay."

Sisko frowned. "Is she ill?"

"No, but she went into labor about thirty minutes ago," Cavit answered. "Unless this little game of chicken with the Cardys escalates into a battle, I don’t expect she’ll return to duty for at least twenty-four hours."

"Please send her my congratulations," Sisko replied. "I’ll be in touch as soon as I have more information about our uninvited guests. Sisko out."

Gesturing for Kira to sever the transmission, Sisko sent her a small smile. "Well, it would seem that even when the world around us is on the brink of disaster, fate finds a way to remind us that life goes on," he remarked.

"I only hope Captain Janeway’s children don’t have to grow up in a quadrant controlled by the Dominion," Kira responded

"As do I, Colonel; as do I."

 

STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS

Morgan was in the galley enjoying a casual lunch with his wife when he received a page from Ehlers. "Ehlers to Admiral Morgan."

"Yes, Dana?"

"I apologize for interrupting your lunch, sir, but we’ve just received a message from one of our field operatives that I think you should see."

"Is it urgent, Commander?" Morgan pressed.

"Yes, sir."

Morgan sighed. "Very well. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Morgan out."

Ending the transmission, Morgan cast his wife an apologetic smile. "I’m sorry, Sweetheart, but duty calls."

"It usually does," Elizabeth Morgan allowed. "You can make it up to me when you get home tonight."

"I’ll look forward to it."

Husband and wife exchanged a warm kiss, than Morgan headed out of the galley and toward his office. He found Ehlers waiting for him inside, hovering by his desk and holding a small computer disk.

"All right, Commander. What is this urgent message?"

Ehlers handed him the disk. "I downloaded this off of the private communications relay you use to track the field operatives," she told him. "The signal is pretty garbled, but I did confirm its authenticity."

"What is it?"

"It’s the coordinates to the Dominion’s main military base in the Gamma Quadrant," Ehlers revealed. "One of our agents in the Badlands intercepted a subspace message between a Cardassian ship and a Dominion cruiser giving instructions to rendezvous at the base to plan their attack on the Alpha Quadrant."

Morgan glanced at the disk. "If we can destroy that base we may very well prevent this war before it starts," he remarked. "Contact Fleet Admiral Nechayev and tell her I need to speak with her immediately."

"Aye, sir."

 

Fifteen minutes later, Morgan had just finished reviewing the contents of the disk when Nechayev walked into his office.

"What’s going on, Bruce?" she demanded. "I was in the middle of an important meeting with Ross and Jellico when I got a message from Commander Ehlers stating it was urgent I contact you."

"What would you say if I told you that one of my operatives may have found a way to prevent war with the Dominion?" Morgan queried.

"How?"

"A message was intercepted in the Badlands which contains the coordinates for the Dominion’s main military base in the Gamma Quadrant," Morgan explained. "Apparently they are planning a rendezvous there with the Cardassians to plan their attack on the Federation. If we can take out that base, it will be a tremendous blow to their forces and quite possibly could eliminate their ability to start this war, or at least postpone it."

"Assuming for the moment what you say is true, how do you propose to get a ship close enough to the base to do any damage?" Nechayev asked.

"Two ships with enough speed and maneuverability could pass through the wormhole and attack the base before the Dominion even knows we’re there."

"And what happens to those ships once they destroy the base?" Nechayev prompted. "The minute the Dominion realizes what we’ve done, the first thing they’re going to do is retaliate in kind, and their first targets will be those two ships. What are the chances that our people will make it back alive?"

"Slim and none," Morgan allowed, "But it is possible."

Nechayev sighed. "I’ll have to run this by the rest of the Admiralty," she said. "Assuming they agree to it, what ships stand the best chance of pulling this off?"

"Off the top of my head I would have to say the Defiant and the Voyager," Morgan answered. "We can send in another ship to help the Excelsior keep an eye on DS9."

"Fine. Find out which ship is closest and have them on stand-by to be rerouted to Deep Space Nine. In the meantime, I’ll meet with the rest of the Admiralty and present the plan to them. I’ll contact you as soon as I have an answer."

"Yes, sir."

 

ROMULAN WARBIRD PEREGRINE

Seated on the floor in the far corner of his cell, Chakotay kept a wary eye on the door while pondering over the latest hand Fate had dealt him. He had spent ten months as Ka’Tor’s prisoner, subjected to daily interrogations about his Maquis comrades and connection to Starfleet. Yet for whatever reason, the Cardassian had not killed him, a fact which Chakotay had clung to as a faint chance he would somehow survive his imprisonment. But Ka’Tor’s lack of success in breaking Chakotay had prompted him to turn his prisoner over to R’Vek, and there was no doubt that the Romulan would kill him once he was done tormenting Chakotay.

Once he has his fun torturing me I’m a dead man, he thought, absently scratching at the beard he now sported. So much for the Romulan Maquis alliance

Chakotay’s train of thought was shattered by the groan of the opening door, and he glanced up as R’Vek stepped into his cell.

"Ah, you’re awake," R’Vek observed. "That will make this much easier."

Although curious as to what R’Vek was up to, Chakotay refused to take the bait by asking, and instead stared at his captor in stony silence.

"What’s the matter, Chakotay?" R’Vek prompted with false concern. "Cat got your tongue?"

Chakotay merely continued his silent scrutiny, and R’Vek flashed him a cold smile.

"Keeping silent may amuse you, Chakotay, but it makes no difference to me. I’d prefer not to waste time with idle chatter anyway. I just received a message from one of my colleagues on Romulus that the Federation has requested our help in fending off an impending Dominion invasion. Personally I couldn’t care less who controls this quadrant as long as I’m left alone. Unfortunately the bleeding heart sympathizers in my government prefer the Federation to the Dominion, so I’ve been ordered to head for the Bajoran wormhole and offer my assistance."

"Let me know when you get to the part where I’m supposed to care," Chakotay interjected.

The sarcastic remark earned Chakotay a blow across the face. "Mind your tongue, Captain, or I’ll cut it from your throat," R’Vek snapped. "But since you asked, there is a twist to this little tale which I’m sure you’ll find very ironic. It seems Starfleet has somehow managed to convince your Maquis cohorts to side with them against the Dominion. I suppose they felt that letting the Dominion slaughter the Maquis in battle will save them the effort of doing it themselves."

"I’m sure that just breaks your heart," Chakotay responded sarcastically.

R’Vek ignored the jibe. "I’ve given it a great deal of thought, and I have decided that keeping you alive is simply not worth the effort. As much as I would enjoy extracting my revenge in flesh, given what Ka’Tor has put you through, I doubt you’d survive long enough to be of any substantial entertainment value. So once this little tete a tete with the Dominion is over, I’m going to return you to your Maquis friends one piece at a time. I might even send a piece or two to Janeway, just for old times sake."

Chakotay’s expression turned deadly and his eyes flashed black fire as he glared at R’Vek. "If you so much as breathe the same air as her I’ll kill you where you stand," he cautioned coldly.

R’Vek chuckled. "Ah, Chakotay; you are so predictable. The mere mention of your paramour’s name and your blood starts to boil," he chided. "Maybe I’ll try a piece of her myself just to see what has you so worked up."

Chakotay charged R’Vek with an enraged howl, but he had barely taken two steps when he felt electricity shoot through his system, courtesy of the electrified restraints on his ankles and wrists. The effect was immediate, and the Dorvanian fell to the floor with an audible crash. The impact sent another round of pain through his battered body, and it took all of Chakotay’s self-control not to pass out.

"Nice try, Captain, but I’m no half-brained Cardassian," R’Vek stated. "Dumar told me about your attempt on his life, so I made certain not to make the same mistake."

"You’re a dead man!" Chakotay retorted through gritted teeth.

"Brave words from a man who’s chained like a dog and half–dead himself," R’Vek returned. "Enjoy your life while you can, Chakotay, because in about forty-eight hours there won’t be enough left of you to wipe my boots on."

R’Vek delivered a vicious kick to Chakotay’s ribs, than turned on his heel and left the cell. The door slid shut behind him, and Chakotay waited until the Romulan’s footsteps had faded before speaking aloud.

"If it’s the last thing I do I will kill him," he vowed.

 

U.S.S. TIBERIUS

Seated in her command chair, Captain Samantha Riese was engaged in a casual conversation with her XO, Karen Griffin, when the ensign at Ops interrupted them.

"Captain, we are receiving an Alpha One Priority message from the office of Admiral Morgan at Starfleet Headquarters," he announced.

Riese exchanged a curious look with Griffin. "That sounds ominous," the latter remarked.

"Put it on screen, Mister Simms," Riese instructed.

The captain and the commander got to their feet just as Morgan’s image appeared on-screen.

"Captain Riese," Morgan greeted formally. "Time is of the essence here, so I’ll get directly to the point. The Dominion and the Cardassians have positioned three ships adjacent to DS9 and the Bajoran wormhole. It is our belief that they are about to instigate their takeover attempt of this quadrant. In order to prevent that, we intend to send two ships through the wormhole and into the Gamma Quadrant to destroy the Dominion’s main military base."

Griffin let out a low whistle. "That sounds dangerous," she mumbled under her breath.

"What do you need from us, Admiral?" Riese questioned.

"At the moment the Defiant, the Excelsior and the Voyager are maintaining a defensive barrier at Deep Space Nine," Morgan answered. "However, Starfleet Command intends to send Voyager and the Defiant through the wormhole, so we need another ship to assume their stance at DS9."

"With all due respect, Admiral," Griffin interjected, "I fail to see how taking out one Dominion military base will prevent them from starting a war."

"The information we’ve been given indicates that the Cardassian and Dominion fleets are meeting at this base to plan their attack," Morgan explained. "By taking out the base, we also take out anywhere from one-third to one-half of their forces. It may not necessarily prevent a war, but it will certainly give the odds a significant shift in the Federation’s favor."

"What happens to Voyager and the Defiant once they take out the base?" Griffin pressed.

"If God is smiling on us, than both ships and their crew return safely to our side of the galaxy," Morgan replied.

"How soon do you need us to depart for the station?" Riese asked.

"Immediately. We need to get our ships through the wormhole before the Dominion does."

Riese glanced at Simms. "Ensign Simms, set a course for Deep Space Nine and engage at warp eight."

"Aye, Captain."

"Good luck, Captain," Morgan said, " and Godspeed to all of you. Morgan out."

 

U.S.S. VOYAGER

In Sickbay, Janeway was keeping watch over her sleeping babies while trying not to dwell on what was happening outside the ship. After allowing herself a few minutes to bask in her new motherhood, she had contacted Cavit to obtain a status report, only to be told they were still playing a game of watch and wait. Although protocol dictated she return to the Bridge, under the circumstances Janeway had chosen to stay with her children, wanting to have as much time with them as possible before duty forced her back into command.

Nothing like giving birth to children in the midst of trying to prevent a war to wear one out, she mused. Sometimes I think God has an odd sense of humor.

Hearing approaching footsteps, Janeway turned just as Fitzgerald came over to stand beside her, and they exchanged a smile.

"How are they doing?" Fitzgerald asked.

"Once they were fed they went right to sleep and haven’t stirred since,’ Janeway answered. "Now I know where they came up with the expression ‘to sleep like a baby’".

"They’ll probably be out for a while," Fitzgerald replied. "Maybe you should take advantage of their nap to try and take one yourself."

"Believe me, I’d like nothing better, but I’m due back on the Bridge. I’ve stalled as long as I can."

"Well, you’re going to have to stall a while longer. I want you off-duty for at least twenty-four hours."

"Aaron, I have a ship to run, and a war to help prevent "

"Neither of which you will be able to do if you collapse from exhaustion," Fitzgerald countered. "You just gave birth, Captain; you need to give your body time to recover from that before you go charging back to work."

"That sounded suspiciously like an order, Doctor," Janeway remarked lightly.

"The CMO outranks even the captain on medical matters," Fitzgerald returned. "Twenty-four hours, Captain, and not a minute less."

"Far be it for me to argue with the CMO," Janeway agreed.

 

Just over an hour later, Fitzgerald was in his office reviewing his latest medical log when the doors to Sickbay swooshed open and Tuvok walked inside. Glancing at Janeway’s sleeping form on a nearby biobed, he lifted one eyebrow in curiosity, than shifted his attention to the twins, still sleeping soundly in a replicated cradle next to Janeway. Walking over to the cradle, the Vulcan peered down at the sleeping infants for a few moments, than made his way to Fitzgerald’s office.

"Doctor," he greeted. "How are Captain Janeway and her children?"

"Excellent," Fitzgerald answered. "All three came through the delivery without a hitch."

"How soon can the captain return to duty?"

"Unless something changes with our friends outside, I want her to rest for twenty-four hours," Fitzgerald told him.

"Other than fatigue, is there any medical reason why she cannot return to duty immediately?" Tuvok pressed.

"Why do you ask?"

"We have received new instructions from Starfleet Command, and her presence is required on the Bridge "

"With all due respect, Commander, I’m afraid you’ll have to do without her for a little while longer. She just gave birth to twins, Tuvok; her body needs time to recuperate."

"I am not unaware of the physical and emotional stress associated with childbirth, Doctor; I was with my wife during the births of our four children. Unfortunately, circumstances require that Captain Janeway resume command. Unless she is medically unable to perform her duties, I must respectfully request that you wake her."

The man would argue with a signpost, Fitzgerald thought idly. Aloud he said, "Fine; I’ll wake her. But if she has any pain or other unusual symptoms, I want her brought back here immediately."

"Of course."

Fitzgerald grabbed a hypospray before exiting his office and crossing over to Janeway, Tuvok close on his heels. Pressing it against the captain’s neck, Fitzgerald glanced at her expectantly, and a moment later her eyes fluttered open. Noticing Tuvok standing next to the Doctor, Janeway sent him a questioning glance.

"Tuvok…?"

"I apologize for having to wake you, Captain, but we have received new orders from Starfleet Command and you are needed on the Bridge," Tuvok explained.

Janeway frowned. "What kind of new orders?"

Tuvok quickly gave her a condensed version of the message they had received from Starfleet Command regarding sending Voyager and the Defiant through the wormhole on a seek and destroy mission to the Dominion base. Once he had finished, he awaited Janeway’s reaction, which from the expression on her face appeared to be skepticism.

"This sounds a bit too much like a kamikaze mission for my taste," she remarked. "I hope they verified the message before they agreed to this little suicide run."

"According to Admiral Morgan there is no doubt as to the message’s authenticity," Tuvok allowed.

"Why doesn’t that reassure me?" Janeway responded rhetorically.

"On a personal note, Captain, allow me to offer my congratulations on the successful births of the twins. They are beautiful children."

"Thank you, Tuvok. I only wish we all had more time to enjoy them."

"As do I."

Janeway slid off the biobed. "I’ll meet you on the Bridge as soon as I change into a uniform, Commander."

"Aye, Captain."

The Vulcan headed out of Sickbay as Janeway crossed over to the computer and replicated herself a uniform. Quickly changing clothes, she deposited her regulation Sickbay blues into the recycler before walking over to stand beside the twins’ cradle. She stood staring down at them in silence for over a minute before she felt a hand settle lightly on her shoulder.

"I promise to keep them as safe as possible, Captain," Fitzgerald said quietly.

Janeway afforded him a brief glance. "I know you will, Aaron. It just frustrates me to have to leave them alone so soon."

"Occupational hazard," Fitzgerald responded lightly. "Go kick some Dominion butt, Captain; the twins will be here when you’re done."

Janeway flashed him a warm smile. "I’ll hold you to that, Doctor."

Leaning over, Janeway pressed a kiss to each twin’s forehead before bidding farewell to Fitzgerald and exiting Sickbay.

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Part 25