Time:
During the end of Deadlock
Kathryn
Janeway stood on the bridge of her ship waiting to die.
After all the close calls, the ‘I’ll blow this ship up’ threats –
this was it.
The Vidiians were boarding Voyager on several decks and she had no other
way to stop them from harvesting her crew’s organs.
Not with my organs, if I can’t have them, neither can you.
The ship would self-destruct in mere minutes.
And this time she meant it.
Chakotay
looked up from the console between their command chairs.
“We’re getting casualty reports.”
Who
had time to do casualty reports? For
that matter who had time to read them? “Busy
work, Commander?”
A
slight smile softened his face. “Beats
watching the clock.” He turned
serious once again. “Tom.”
“Tom?
Oh… Does B'Elanna – “ The budding romance between the two was over before
it started.
“They
still have a chance, Kathryn. On
the other Voyager.”
Of
course. She’d forgotten the other
ship. By their dying, the other
ship would get back their half of the warp core enabling them to survive.
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”
That and the chance to take the Vidiians with us.
Ironic when just fifteen minutes earlier it seemed the other Voyager
would be the one to make the sacrifice to save them.
“Harry
and the baby made it through.”
“Good.
She deserves a chance to grow up, Chakotay.”
“So
does Harry.” Chakotay stood and
walked to the edge of the command deck to look at the main view screen.
The urge to grab her up into his arms was almost overwhelming.
The last minutes of his life were ticking away, yet her still wasn’t
able to hold the woman he loved. The
warp core exploding would kill his body; if she rejected him it would kill his
soul. Hopefully in the afterlife
he’d get that first taste of her lips. The
Spirit Horse was close; he could almost see it galloping across the stars.
Looking
at his taut back, Kathryn made a decision.
To hell with protocol. She
was going to kiss her first officer before she died.
She only wished she had enough time to fuck his brains out.
Right here on the bridge and to hell with what anyone thought.
There were only two steps between them, then her arms slid around his
waist. “I love you.”
He
leaned back into her embrace. “Kathryn,
your timing leaves a lot to be desired.”
A huge sigh came from deep inside of him.
Eyes
stinging, she stepped back. She’d
misread his feelings after all, seeing love where only friendship existed.
Turning,
he caught her and pulled her into his arms.
“I love you, too.” Dipping
his head, he took her mouth hungrily, his tongue forcing it’s way past her
teeth and into her mouth. His hands
molded her against him, his arousal hot and hard against her belly.
Gasping
for air when he finally raised his head, she looked into the black velvet eyes.
The love shining there made her regret ever hearing the word
‘protocol’. “Guess yesterday
would have been better, huh?”
“Too
bad I can’t collect on Tom’s betting pool.”
His eyes drifted shut as her fingers traced his tattoo for the first
time. And the last time.
“The
Vidiians are in the lift, they’re almost to the bridge.”
A voice called to them.
One
last lingering kiss, and they moved to their command chairs, their hands clasped
between them.
The
lift doors snapped open the Vidiians bursting out onto the bridge.
Captain Kathryn Janeway rose regally from her chair greeting them with a
cool charming grace that would have made the Federation President green with
envy.
Chakotay couldn’t hear her words for the drumming in his ears. His heartbeat or the hoofbeats of the Spirit Horse? Leaning over the console, he ordered it to send the images from their bridge logs to the other Voyager. Rising to be at her side as always, his hand drifted toward the small of her back for one last touch…
On
the other Voyager, Captain Kathryn Janeway watched as the view screen dissolved
into a burst of static. Voyager
shook and rattled, groaning as she became whole once again.
Crewmembers were running to their stations.
All around lights grew brighter with the increased power.
Thrumming under her feet was the reassuring heartbeat of the warp core.
Turning,
she bumped against Chakotay. His
hands went to her shoulders to steady her.
In his eyes was a longing that wrenched at her heart.
They’d seen themselves admit their feelings when it was too late.
This was a second chance. I love you.
The words were on her tongue, she drew breath to speak.
A body slammed into her knocking her back out of his hands.
“Captain!
We need a decision here!” B'Elanna
shouted from her engineering station.
Command
wrapped itself back around her and the words died unspoken.
Her mask dropped into place
once again Captain Janeway ruthlessly shoving Kathryn into a dark closet and
locking the door.
Captain
Kathryn Janeway strode away with her spine ramrod straight issuing orders with a
cool grace and a military bearing that would have made the Admiralty proud.
Chakotay couldn’t hear her words for the drumming in his ears. His heartbeat or the death throes of their love? Leaning over the workstation, he ordered it to save the images from the other Voyager onto a data chip. Rising to be at her side as always, his hand drifted toward the small of her back for one last touch….
