"A Separate Peace"
by Andra Marie Mueller

PART THIRTY : 'Resurrection'

SUMMARY : At Starfleet Headquarters, Morgan receives a shocking visitor.

See Part one for author's notes and disclaimer

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STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS – SIX WEEKS LATER

Putting aside the last of his paperwork for the day, Bruce Morgan allowed himself a heavy sigh. Although the Cardassians and the Dominion had kept a low profile following the destruction of the base in the Gamma Quadrant, Morgan was far from stress free. Following Owen Paris’ confession that he had been the leak within the Admiralty, he had been forced to resign from Starfleet and his duties temporarily given to Morgan. Not to mention that Nechayev and the Federation Council were breathing down his neck to expedite the meeting between the Maquis and the Federation, which had been rescheduled six weeks ago due to "unforeseen personal difficulties" within the Maquis. Darjenko had postponed the meeting by three weeks, but was scheduled to arrive with his crew two days hence to begin the negotiations for the new Maquis/Federation alliance.

I hope things go smoothly, Morgan thought wishfully. If this truce falls through, we’ll be right back where we started with the Maquis.

The door chime interrupted Morgan’s train of thought; assuming his visitor to be his chief of staff, he called out expectantly. "Come in, Commander."

His attention focused on his computer, Morgan did not look up as his visitor entered, but he froze in place when a familiar voice broke the silence.

"I think you should wait until after I plead my case to the Admiralty to demote me," Chakotay said lightly.

Morgan immediately turned to face him, and his eyes widened in obvious shock. "Good God…Chakotay…"

"Hello, Bruce."

"You’re not dead!" Morgan declared stupidly.

Chakotay chuckled. "Obviously."

"What are you doing here? Kathryn said you were killed on Cornellia."

"The Cardys took me prisoner instead," Chakotay revealed. "I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say it was a terrible ten months."

"I have no doubt that it was. Does anyone else know you’re here?"

"I got a few curious glances while I was walking through the hallways but so far I’ve managed to avoid crossing paths with any of the Admiralty. I’m trying to keep my return as low profile as possible."

"Of course. "

Morgan fell silent for a moment, attempting to register that Chakotay was actually standing on front of him. Although he was still slightly underweight, six weeks of rest and proper nutrition had restored most of the weight Chakotay has lost during his imprisonment, and he bore no resemblance to the battered man whom the DS9 staff had rescued from R’Vek.

"It’s good to see you," Morgan said at last.

"It’s good to be seen."

"Have you spoken with Kathryn yet?"

"No. I want to resolve my unfinished business with Starfleet before I approach her."

Morgan briefly debated telling Chakotay about his children, than just as quickly decided against it. He’s going to have a hard enough time keeping away from Kathryn without throwing Erin and Dorvan into the mix, he mused silently.

"So how much trouble am I in?" Chakotay asked. "The last time we talked Starfleet was debating whether or not to pull me off Cornellia and arrest me."

"That debate died when we thought you had," Morgan told him. "They did, however, briefly consider charging Kathryn with conspiracy."

"Because of me."

"Yes."

Chakotay sighed. "If I had half a brain I never would have taken her off Voyager," he grumbled to himself. "Our reunion brought her nothing but grief."

And a set of twins. The thought flickered through Morgan’s mind but remained unspoken. Instead he replied simply, "Don’t be so sure."

Chakotay flashed his friend a grateful smile before changing the subject. "I understand that the Maquis have realigned themselves with Starfleet. Can’t imagine how the powers that be pulled that one off."

"It actually came down to a simple choice," Morgan said. "Would the Maquis prefer to live in a quadrant controlled by the Dominion, or would they rather join forces with us and keep the quadrant under Federation rule?"

"Seeing the Federation go down wouldn’t exactly be heartbreaking for the Maquis, Bruce."

"Maybe not, but the Maquis have a strong enough sense of self-preservation to know that it would be to their benefit for the Federation to maintain their position in the Alpha Quadrant."

"I suppose that depends on whether the Admiralty intends to keep its promise and exonerate them."

"The Maquis fulfilled their part of our bargain, and Starfleet Command has every intention of doing the same," Morgan assured him. "Terven Darjenko is supposed to be here in a couple of days to meet with the Admiralty and the Federation Council to start hammering out the details of our new alliance."

"He’s already here," Chakotay revealed. "The Cloud Dancer is the ship that brought me to Earth."

"Ah, so they sent you down here first for shock value. Very clever."

"Actually, it was my idea," Chakotay confessed. "I wanted a chance to meet with you in private before word of my ‘resurrection’ starts to spread."

"Well, I imagine it won’t take long for the people who’ve already seen you to pass the information along to anyone who will listen," Morgan said. "It isn’t every day we have a dead man strolling through Starfleet Headquarters."

"Very funny."

"I don’t know what to tell you, Chakotay. Your abduction of Kathryn ruffled a lot of high-ranking feathers, including Nechayev’s. It was a blatant violation of the terms of your agreement with Starfleet, the Admiralty doesn’t take kindly to being made to look like fools."

"I never intended to spite Starfleet, Bruce, but between you and me, after fifteen years of being without her there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell I was going to let Kathryn slip through my fingers."

"I know how much you love her, Chakotay, but the ends don’t justify the means. Even if you hadn’t been secretly working with Starfleet, abducting an officer off a starship is clearly a hostile act. They can’t ignore that."

"I don’t expect them to, but I won’t let Starfleet or anyone else tell me how run my life."

Morgan shook his head. "Debating about this between us is useless. We have to go to Nechayev and let the Admiralty decide your fate."

"Why do I have a sudden yearning to return to the Cardassians?"

Morgan sent Chakotay an admonishing look before tapping his combadge. "Morgan to Admiral Nechayev."

There was a brief pause before Nechayev responded. "Go ahead, Bruce."

"Admiral, a situation has arisen which needs to be presented to the Admiralty," Morgan said. "Would it be possible to convene an emergency meeting within the next fifteen minutes?"

"Has the Dominion resurfaced?" Nechayev pressed worriedly.

"No, sir," Morgan assured her quickly, "but it is something rather important. It could affect our new alliance with the Maquis."

"Very well. I’ll contact the others, and we’ll meet you in the conference room in fifteen minutes. Nechayev out."

 

Fifteen minutes later, the five other ranking Admirals had gathered in the conference room to await Morgan’s arrival, and were seated around the table in the center of the room.

"Did he say what was going on?" Jellico asked.

"All he said was that something had come up which could affect our alliance with the Maquis," Nechayev answered. "I got the feeling he was being deliberately evasive."

"Wouldn’t be the first time," Ross replied.

"I’m almost afraid to find out what he has up his sleeve this time," Jellico remarked.

As if on cue, the doors at the far end of the room swooshed open, and Morgan strode into the room shadowed by Chakotay.

"Sorry we’re late," Morgan apologized casually. "I trust you all recognize my guest?"

Indeed they did, as their collective expressions ranged from surprise to complete astonishment, and Chakotay couldn’t resist a little needling. "With all due respect, sirs, you look as if you’ve seen a ghost," he observed.

"Chakotay…." Morgan said warningly.

Nechayev was the first to find her voice. "I’m glad to see your sense of humor is still intact, Captain," she said.

"It was one of the few parts of me the Cardassians didn’t poke, prod or tear apart," Chakotay returned evenly.

"You’ve been with them all this time?" Jellico prompted.

Chakotay afforded him a brief glance, his look cold enough to freeze water. "I was locked in a prison cell for ten months, Admiral, not vacationing on Cardassia," he replied.

"How did you escape?" Nechayev asked.

"When the Cardassians got tired of me they turned me over to a Romulan named R’Vek," Chakotay explained. "I was on his ship when his government sent him to assist the Starfleet blockade at Deep Space Nine, and when he revealed to Captain Sisko’s crew that I was on board, they found a way to transport me off the ship."

"And what was this R’Vek individual doing while you were being beamed off his ship?" Jellico pressed.

"He was dead," Chakotay answered. "I broke his neck just before I was transported to the station."

Chakotay’s grim response had the desired effect, and Jellico fell silent.

"I’m curious about your choice of attire, Captain," Ross said casually. "Last time I checked, you resigned from Starfleet sixteen years ago."

"Last time I checked Starfleet Command restored my commission three years ago in exchange for my assistance in gathering intelligence information on the Cardassians," Chakotay retorted.

Ross sent Morgan a knowing look. "I’m afraid Admiral Morgan may have overstepped his bounds," he replied. "He doesn’t have the authority to make that kind of decision."

"Morgan didn’t restore Chakotay’s commission, Bill," Nechayev corrected quietly. "I did."

Ross glanced at her in disbelief. "You did?" he prompted. "Whatever for?"

"It was the only way we could convince him to accept our offer," Nechayev explained. "We needed his help, and he needed something more substantial than our word to prove we were serious about exonerating his crew."

"So you restored his Starfleet commission and bumped him up a couple of ranks in the process?" Ross pressed incredulously.

"I may not have had a uniform to show for it but I was already a captain," Chakotay pointed out. "I sure as hell wasn’t going to accept a demotion just to play your spy games."

"Why did you accept the offer at all?" Jellico prompted.

"To earn my crew’s freedom," Chakotay answered. "After more than a decade of butting heads with the Federation and the Cardassians they were entitled to that."

"The issue here is not why Captain Chakotay returned to Starfleet or who gave him what to get him back," the Vulcan Admiral T’Para interjected. "Our problem is that he violated orders by abducting Captain Janeway off Voyager, and by revealing to her his connection to Starfleet."

"Captain Janeway is a rank officer," Chakotay said, "Under the circumstances I felt it would be acceptable for me to confide in her about my secret alliance with Starfleet."

"Those circumstances you refer to were of your own making, Captain," T’Para pointed out. "Janeway’s presence on Cornellia was a direct result of your choice to abduct her. She had no business being there to begin with. It is clear that you allowed your personal feelings to override your professional judgement."

"Something I’m sure you’ve never done," Chakotay countered sarcastically.

"I would suggest, Captain, that you keep a civil tone when addressing a superior officer," Nechayev cautioned. "You’re not doing yourself any favors by sniping at us and exuding hostility."

"Forgive me if I’m a little put off by this interrogation, Admiral," Chakotay responded. "But I spent every day for ten months being grilled by Cardassians, and the answers I didn’t volunteer were beaten out of me. Suffice it to say my tolerance level for games of twenty questions is extremely low."

"He has a point," Morgan replied. "I think we’ve established with reasonable certainty that Captain Chakotay’s motive for abducting Kathryn Janeway was personal, and that it was a violation of the oath he took when his commission was restored. But what happened a year ago can’t be undone and pouring salt into the wound won’t help. We need to determine what form of punishment to bestow upon him and move on."

"I agree," Nechayev stated. "Captain Chakotay, do you have anything to say for yourself before we convene to determine your punishment?"

"Yes. I regret that my actions jeopardized the freedom I sought for my crew, and I apologize if my choices of a year ago were interpreted as an attempt to spite the Admiralty. My motivation for abducting Captain Janeway was personal, not political, and wasn’t in any way influenced by my renewed association with Starfleet."

"Fair enough," Nechayev allowed. "However, you haven’t given us any assurances that should a similar situation arise in the future, you won’t do the same thing again."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Chakotay requested.

Nechayev permitted herself a small smile. "At least you’re asking permission this time," she said dryly. "Go ahead."

"I didn’t have to come here and face all of you, and I certainly didn’t have to do it wearing your uniform. But I did it because I respect the choice the Maquis made to put aside their own feelings and realign themselves with Starfleet, and I owe it to Captain Janeway and Admiral Morgan for the aspersions on them our respective relationships have incurred. And I assure you that I have no intention of repeating the mistake I made a year ago. I am solely responsible for my actions and will accept whatever punishment the Admiralty deems appropriate."

Chakotay finished his speech and fell silent, waiting for the Admiralty’s response. The group exchanged curious looks, than Nechayev spoke again. "I admire your honesty, Captain," she replied. "Report to my office at this time tomorrow, and I will inform you then of the Admiralty’s decision."

"Yes, sir."

Bidding the others farewell, Chakotay exited the room. Once in the hallway, he released a heavy sigh as he leaned against a nearby wall and closed his eyes. "Thank the Spirits that’s over," he muttered aloud to himself.

The words had barely left his mouth when he heard someone nearby suddenly gasp very loud, and a feminine voice exclaimed incredulously, "Oh my God! Chakotay?"

Chakotay opened his eyes to see Kathryn’s sister Phoebe standing a few feet away. Although he had last seen her over sixteen years ago, there was no mistaking her relationship to Kathryn, the porcelain skin and facial structure branding her a Janeway.

She’s certainly matured into a beautiful woman, he noted idly, and flashed her a warm smile. "Hello, Phoebe. It’s been a long time."

"You’re supposed to be dead!"

Chakotay’s smile widened. "That seems to be a popular opinion today," he remarked dryly. "It’s a long story, Phoebe. I’m sure Kathryn will tell you all about once I’ve spoken with her."

Phoebe was clearly surprised by the revelation that Chakotay had not yet been with Kathryn. "She doesn’t know you’re alive?"

"I didn’t want to approach her until I resolved my unfinished business with Starfleet," Chakotay explained. "Unfortunately, word of my ‘resurrection’ is starting to spread, so I need to reach Kathryn before the rumors do."

"I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Chakotay," Phoebe cautioned. "Kathryn’s been through an extraordinary amount of emotional turmoil over the past year, and quite frankly I don’t know how she’ll react if you suddenly show up on her doorstep."

"The last thing I want to do is throw Kathryn’s life into an upheaval again, Phoebe, but I don’t want her to learn about my return from anyone else or via second-hand gossip. I need to see her."

"Maybe she doesn’t need to see you."

The comment came not from Phoebe but Mark Johnson, who had been en route to the Academy when a friend had informed him of Chakotay’s return. He stood a few feet away, ignoring Phoebe as he glared daggers at Chakotay.

"Doctor Johnson," Chakotay greeted coolly.

"You know who I am," Mark returned. "I’m impressed."

"Don’t be. Kathryn described you quite accurately."

"Well, at least she bothered to mention me at all during your little tete a tete a year ago," Mark retorted bitterly.

"You have every right to be angry, but direct it at me and not Kathryn."

"Don’t presume to tell me what to do or how to feel, Chakotay! If it hadn’t been for your interference, Kathryn and I would be married now."

"Mark…" Phoebe began.

"Stay out of this, Phoebe!" Mark snapped. "This is between me and Chakotay."

"What happened between Kathryn and me on Cornellia was a mutual decision, Mark," Chakotay replied calmly. "I didn’t force her to do anything."

"Except stay on Cornellia as your prisoner!" Mark countered. "You had no right to kidnap her and insinuate yourself back into her life."

Tired of arguing with everyone around him, and unwilling to humor Mark by tolerating a public dressing down, Chakotay abandoned all pretense of courtesy. "Kathryn came to my bed by choice and of her own free will, so I have to assume that whatever it is you think you had with her wasn’t good enough."

"You son of a bitch!"

Mark immediately launched himself at Chakotay and took a swing at him, but the Dorvanian dodged the blow and retaliated with one of his own, landing a hearty punch to Mark’s jaw and knocking him to the ground.

"Out of respect for Kathryn and because I am responsible for coming between you two, I won’t take this any further," Chakotay declared. "But consider this fair warning that if you ever take a swing at me again, I’ll snap you in half."

Without waiting for a response, Chakotay glanced at Phoebe. "Where’s Kathryn?"

"Are you going to stick around this time?" Phoebe asked.

"As long as Starfleet doesn’t ship me off to the gallows, yes."

"She’s at our parents’ house in Indiana."

"Thank you."

Chakotay started down the hall but stopped when Phoebe called after him. "Chakotay…"

He turned expectantly, and Phoebe sent him a small smile. "Good luck."

Chakotay returned the smile, then resumed his walk down the hall. Phoebe waited until he was out of earshot, then said, "Have fun, Dad."

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Part 31