Fortune's Creed 2

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Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Paramount owns (and abuses) them, I'm just trying to give them a life and rehumanize them.

Bliss

Chakotay looked around the darkened quarters, wondering where she was. "Kathryn?" She hadn't answered his calls on her commlink either. She had been very agitated when her shift ended two hours earlier. He called out her name again before he heard her in the other room.

She looked awful was his first thought. "Are you all right?" He asked from the doorway.

"Fine...I fine." He watched horrified as she turned, her glass of brown liquid half empty.

"You've been drinking?" He asked incredulously.

She pinched herself. "Not enough, I can still feel..." She staggered slightly.

"Why?"

"Why?" She repeated mockingly. "Why? What kind of Captain am I? In my exub...exu'rance to get home, I've nearly destroyed the ship..." She laughed--not pleasantly. "Twice in less than two months." She took a big gulp of the liquid. "I nearly killed everybody...Seven had to save us again..." Her speech was becoming more slurred. He reached out and took the glass and put it on the dresser.

"We were all under the influence of that creature..."

"Oh yes...But what about the last time when I wouldn't listen and the slipstream almost destroyed us...Or the time before that...and before that. Then there was the Caretaker..." She tried to walk and collapsed into his arms. "I'm drunk, Commander." She started to giggle.

"I hadn't noticed." He shook his head as he carried her to the bed then contacted the EMH. He explained what he wanted and that it shouldn't appear in any records. A few seconds later a hypospray appeared on the floor. He quickly injected the contents into her neck.

"This will help you sleep...and detoxify your system." He paused as he watched her drift off to sleep. "Though you will have one Hell of headache when you wake."

#

"Perhaps next time, you will listen to me before taking my program off-line," the Doctor said in his usual ascerbic manner. And Tom was tired of it, but felt a little too guilty to turn the program off. So he tried to ignore him and complete his duties as quickly as possible.

"Are you listening, Ensign?"

"Yes, Doctor. You were right, we were wrong..."

"Ahhh. And remember that please." Tom started to hum to try to block the voice out. It almost worked.

The sick-bay door slid open. "Hello, Doctor, Tom." He turned and smiled at Megan.

"Ensign Delaney, is there a problem?" The Doctor asked.

"No...Well, not really. I was just curious how this creature could cause us to forget important things. The entire dream or whatever--I never once saw Jenny."

"It was a telepathic vision," Tom started to say, but the Doctor interrupted.

"That is the simplistic version. It really was more complex. The creature projected a vision based upon your secret desires and wishes. This caused a release of dopamine in the brain, this is a hormone involved in sleep..."

Tom finished his last task--having heard the explanation five or six times, he wasn't in the mood to hear it again. Anyway he too wondered at why people he considered very important did not appear in his *dream.* A friend from long ago--not B'Elanna or worse, his father. The Doctor had supposed that the creature had picked less familiar or unknown faces to avoid the ruse being discovered. Flaws in familiar and loved ones would be quickly noted.

Tom picked up the PADD and wrote a few notes, the Doctor was still talking. Megan looked like she was pretending to comprehend the convoluted explanation.

It had basically been a dream. The visions had been vivid and very real--but only a dream.

#

Chakotay shifted slightly, his eyes focused on the ceiling. He could feel her moving next to him. A soft grunt followed by a moan and he knew she was awake. He rolled over.

"Kathryn?" He whispered. She rolled to face him.

"My head hurts."

He nodded and reached over her to grab another hypospray. "The Doc sent this." He smiled as he injected her. "Give it about ten minutes." He stared at her. "And then you can explain to me what that was about."

"A lot of things." She closed her eyes, then started to sit up.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I think I'm on duty soon..."

"No, the Doctor ordered you to take 24 hours off. He also wants you to report to sick-bay sometime this morning..."

"Damn him anyway," she didn't say it too angrily. "What will the crew think?"

"That you have been overworking yourself--again." He ran his hand along her face. "But you do need to talk..."

"No..." She sighed and lay down on her back. "I guess I was feeling pretty sorry for myself..."

He chuckled slightly. "That's an understatement."

She tried to smile, but it didn't last. "When did I become so obsessive? No, don't answer that...Twice in less than two months..."

"Kathryn, you want to get home--so does everybody on this ship." He didn't say almost everybody which he suspected was a truer statement.

"Home. But what's waiting for us there?"

"We don't know...Your letter mentioned Mark." It hadn't bothered him at the time--now it did. "Do you still?"

She shook her head slowly. "No, not like that...It's that I've known him most of my life--he was an important part of it--and I don't know, but I would like more closure than a letter." She rubbed her forehead. "It isn't working fast enough."

"Self inflicted...No sympathy on the headache from this quarter." He rolled over so he could start massaging her forehead. "I will admit, you didn't strike me as the getting drunk type."

"I'm not--the last time I drank so much was at the academy--my Junior year. I had the reputation of being a bit of a prude." She moaned. "I should get dressed..."

"You're off duty--but I do need to get ready. Seems I'm in command today." He grinned at her. "You have a few choices. You can go to the holodeck or stay in your quarters. The Doc recommends a book called *Moby Dick.* Ever read it?"

"I started it once. Is he trying to make a point?" He looked at her curiously, so she continued. "The main character is so obsessed with killing this whale that he ends up killing himself and his crew..." She took a deep breath. "Like me."

"Actually, I think he was thinking of that strange alien...Can you believe chasing something for forty years." He sat on the edge of the bed. "It looks like he returned to the creature."

"Oh. Forty years...I wonder where we'll be in forty years--still looking for a way home?"

Chakotay shook his head. If a way home didn't happen within the next few years, odds were good that they would never get home. Perhaps they would settle...He looked at Kathryn and frowned. Maybe in time she could accept that idea--but not now. She was right about one thing. She was becoming fixated on getting home, and it was beginning to bother him.

"I'll see you this evening..." He winked as he stood. "Be sober."

She tried to laugh. "Very well. And take care of my ship--I don't want her all scratched up."

"Scratched up? Kathryn I'm hurt--anyway I don't know how you could tell the new scratches from the old ones."

She flinched slightly, but continued to smile. "Don't worry--I know every scratch on her hull--most of which you put there." She rolled over on her side, facing away from him. "Do you believe we'll get home?"

"Yes, Kathryn. Somehow we'll find home." He picked up his uniform and entered the bathroom. She didn't press him for more.

#

Harry quietly put his photo of Libby back in his drawer. He knew she'd gone on with her life, a Doctor from Mars. His parents hadn't elaborated. He took a deep breath and pushed the drawer closed. He had let her go even before the letters for the array.

He stared in the mirror, wondering at who he had become. A tough young Starfleet officer--maybe even slightly cynical. He smiled. His mother had told him many times he was too optimistic.

Each time a chance to return to the Alpha-Quadrant appeared his soul soared in anticipation. "You'd think I'd learn." This last time, the monster had tempted him with his parents and a promotion. It had been so realistic and so convincing that he hadn't noticed his parents hadn't aged, or that none of his crewmates had been in his visions.

He could recognize the flaws now and was upset with himself for being so gullible. "I should have known," he said to his image. "Really, I should have." The reflection shook its head sadly.

"I know, I know. One hundred and forty-five people were also convinced. All but Seven and Naomi." He laughed. It wasn't everyday that a child saved the day--but apparently Naomi had been instrumental in getting them away from that monster. She'd even written a report.

He took a deep breath. Today would be spent going over sensor reports, studying this creature and how to avoid it if they ever met a similar creature again. He rather hoped not--he didn't want to feel the pain that always came after every failed attempt.

Dark Frontier

The Doctor handed Janeway the PADD he was holding. "My report on Seven. The Borg made several modifications. I need to study them before I attempt to remove them. While I do not believe that any harm will occur, as they say, *better safe than sorry.*"

She reached out and took the PADD, hoping to get away from the Doctor soon: before she heard everything that he'd learned. "Thank-you Doctor. Your expertise in this area is a credit to you and this ship. I leave Seven in your capable hands."

The Doctor beamed. "Thank-you, Captain. I found the experience to be..."

Her commbadge chirped, silencing him. "Janeway here."

"Captain," Chakotay's voice said. "I have everything ready for our...meeting."

"Understood, Commander. I'll be there in five minutes." She smiled slightly. "I look forward to reading your report. Keep me informed about Seven."

"Aye, Captain." The Doctor grinned as he watched her leave. "Meeting indeed," he said after the door closed behind her.

#

"Hello Seven," Naomi said with an ecstatic smile as she ran up to hug her friend. "How you feeling?"

Seven looked down at the young girl and almost smiled. She then carefully stepped out of the regeneration chamber with Naomi holding tightly to her waist. "I have sufficiently regenerated."

Naomi backed away with a faint frown. "Oh, I'm sorry. Mom told me you needed time to...regenerate so you would feel better. But I couldn't wait." She smiled again. "It's good to have you back."

Seven cocked her head slightly. "It is good to be back."

"Did they assimilate you?" Naomi asked with a very serious tone.

"No, they did not..." Seven hesitated, unsure if this was a topic to be had with a young child. Her own memories came flooding back--what she heard those last few fateful hours before the Raven crashed and the Borg found them. "No..." She held out her hand. "I am still Annika Hansen."

"Annika?" Naomi asked.

"My real self."

Naomi nodded. "Shall I call you Annika?"

Seven thought a second before answering. "No, I prefer to be called Seven...But maybe you can call me that when we are playing."

Naomi grinned. "Neelix taught me a game he used to play with his sister." She grabbed Seven's hand. "Come, Annika, I'll teach you."

#

"I don't care," Megan said as she tossed a pillow on their couch. "It's my room too, and I am tired of Starfleet regulation colors."

Jenny shook her head. "You want to waste replicator rations? I can think of a couple dozen better things to do with them...And the smell of the paint..."

Megan had to agree, but she really wanted to redo their quarters--and suspected that Jenny did too. "It's been five years..." Five years, she thought, five years from home.

Jenny sat down. "Five years," she repeated. "Maybe we are due for a change."

"We could start slowly. Non-regulation linens?" She picked up another pillow. "Not blue. It's easy enough to be blue out here." She looked out the window. "Something cheery."

"Not yellow," Jenny cut in. "I look awful in yellow."

They both laughed, then frowned. "Do you think the Borg will come after us?" Jenny asked after several seconds silence--bringing up the question that had been nagging the ship the past two days.

"I don't think anyone knows. I hope the rumor about biogenic weapons..." Megan's voice trailed off.

Jenny nodded slowly. "We're 15 years closer to home...I don't think I've seen the ship so depressed."

Megan sighed. "To be so close, yet so far..." Suddenly she threw the pillow across the room. "I'm going out. Maybe even find out who has the still..."

"Meg..." Jenny didn't move to follow her sister out.

#

Harry was sitting on the floor in the observation lounge trying to find a calm center. It had been a hellish week and he wanted to bring it into perspective. The events of almost two years ago kept coming back to haunt him. He would bring the horror of the memories of their first encounter with Species 8472 under control when something like this happened. He had wanted to tell Janeway that he wouldn't return to a Borg ship because the nightmares would return. But, he hadn't. And they had.

He hadn't slept more than a couple of hours for the past two days, and it was beginning to tell. He had nearly slugged Ayala in the messhall just an hour earlier.

"I'm sorry, I can go somewhere else." Tom said quietly from behind him.

"No, that's all right." Harry didn't bother to move. "I've been thinking..."

"Uh oh." Tom chuckled--but stopped when his friend didn't respond. "Are you all right?"

Harry shrugged. "Do you think she is losing it?"

"She? Who..." There was a second of silence. "Janeway? I don't know. Sometimes..." He took a deep breath. "She has a lot of responsibility. But look at her record. We've again made a giant leap closer to the Alpha-Quadrant."

"But the cost..." Harry shifted slightly so he faced Tom. "Has it been worth it?"

"I don't know." Tom looked out the window at the unfamiliar stars, his hand reaching for his single pip. "Usually I think so...but sometimes..." There was another pause. "Neelix is throwing a party to celebrate. We should go."

"You go. I'm not interested." Harry closed his eyes with a shudder. "I'm not feeling very sociable."

Tom waited a second, then quietly departed. B'Elanna was waiting for him down the hall. "Well?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No. He's not doing well."

"And why the hell is anybody surprised!? Remember his last visit to a Borg ship?" She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the corridor. "He'll talk when he's ready. And behave yourself at the party." She kissed him quickly.

The Disease

Kathryn snuggled against Chakotay's shoulder as she pulled the blanket around her shoulders. "I hate it when you're right."

He chuckled. "I've noticed." His fingers wrapped around her hair and he pulled gently. "How is Harry doing?"

"He'll live. Poor kid. It's the second time he's lost the woman he loves in this bloody quadrant."

"We all lost something--and we all gained something five years ago. It looks like Harry is finally finding his backbone." He kissed the top of her head. "I used to wonder what you saw in the kid..."

"Me...when I was that age. Naive, honest, willing to try..." Her eyes shifted to the ceiling. "He has potential. He really does. If we were back in the Alpha-Quadrant he would be on the fast-track for Captain."

"Kath...you can't hold yourself responsible. Unless you signed an contract with the Caretaker to have us pulled out here..."

She laughed. "Chakotay, has anybody told you that you can be ridiculous?"

"Not recently. But it served its purpose. It's good to hear you laugh. You should more often." He kissed her. "And you should do this more often too..." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again.

#

"Lieutenant Torres, I have a question." B'Elanna mentally prepped herself to answer the former-Borg's question as she turned around.

"Make it quick. I'm meeting Ensign Vorik two minutes ago..." She hoped her impatience was obvious--but it probably wasn't. Seven didn't read body-language all that well yet.

"I have been observing Ensign Kim. He appears withdrawn and mentally unstable--yet his work efficiency has improved by three percent."

B'Elanna snorted. "He's trying to forget. We sometimes concentrate on the job in order to block the emotions."

"Curious. Did he work harder when he--I believe the phrase is--'had a crush on me'?"

This time B'Elanna started choking. It was several seconds before she could speak. "I wouldn't know." Harry had managed to be assigned with Seven many more times than anyone else...But she didn't think it was worth mentioning. "Are you jealous?" The question was out before she'd really thought about it.

"Jealous? As in angry over his attachment to another?"

"Yes..." B'Elanna watched Seven as she processed the information.

"No. Ensign Kim is a good friend, but I have no romantic feelings for him..." Seven cocked her head slightly. "I overheard the phrase, 'getting lucky.' Maybe you can explain?"

B'Elanna grasped at the time for her excuse. "Maybe later--but I'm late. Or perhaps you should talk to someone else." That was a better idea. The young engineer almost ran down the corridor.

#

Harry was still staring at the screen. He'd never see her again...He bit his lip as the feelings tore through his gut. At least he had an image and voice. Her farewell note to him--sent two days after their respective ships had parted.

He understood why she hadn't come with him. Truly he did. It was the same reason he hadn't left Voyager...

Loyalty, duty...

Spirits, how he hated those words at times. If he never heard them again...

But they were him...Maybe not the perfect Starfleet officer anymore, but they still described Harry Kim. Despite everything, he had wanted to stay with Voyager, his friends, his family.

And she had stayed with her ship.

"Life is so unfair..." He said as he shut the image off. He noticed that there was an incoming message, so he clicked play.

"Ensign Kim," the image of the EMH said. "It has come to my attention that you are skipping meals and sleep. *If* you wish to continue this unnecessary suffering, you are free to do so--BUT, I should warn you, that I shall file a report with the Captain, suggesting that you be relieved of duty...."

The Doctor had more to say, but Harry shut the message off. He wanted to go over the schematics of the virus. The damage had been repaired, but something Seven said had triggered an idea. Perhaps the virus could be modified to conduct repairs. He picked up the PADD with the information and started to read.

Course: Oblivion

Jenny looked uncomfortably about the holodeck simulation her sister had put together and shook her head. "Please tell me you are kidding? I just don't think I could live in such ugly quarters."

Megan laughed. "Good, maybe now you'll help?"

"Blackmail..." Jenny was laughing as she picked up a heavy chair. "Is there anything in here that is lighter...And the walls, do they have to be dark brown?"

"Computer, run simulation one-a." Instantly the room was replaced by their quarters. "Computer, change walls to maple paneling."

"Not bad." Jenny sighed. Her sister had become very serious about redesigning their quarters. They'd agreed that whatever changes were made, both had to like. "Computer, lighten stain on paneling by ten-percent." She sat down on their table. "Do you remember when we were eight?"

"I had eaten..."

"An oleander leaf. I was visiting Grandmama, you'd been grounded."

Megan smiled as she sat on the couch. "How could I forget. It wasn't my fault the replicator broke."

Jenny stared at her hands. "I remember feeling something--and trying to tell Grandmama that something had happened to you. She only laughed--it wasn't long after that we learned you were in the hospital..."

"I'm always being asked if I feel what you are feeling. I never have. But why bring this up now?"

Jenny shrugged. "Remember yesterday, that ship?" She waited until Megan nodded, then continued. "I felt something similar. Like a cold breeze or something."

"Stop it." Megan shivered. "Nothing happened to me yesterday, except I tripped."

"I know." Jenny admitted sheepishly. "I know. I checked with the Doc. It was nothing, except it reminded me of...well..." She stood quickly. "I like the maple paneling. But the furniture is now all wrong." She knew Megan didn't like this sort of conversation, so she returned it to the original one.

#

"Ah, Commander Tuvok, a moment please?" Commander Chakotay walked faster to catch up with the Tactical officer.

"Commander Chakotay." Tuvok slowed his pace slightly. "Is there a problem?"

"No, no problem. I wanted to hear your analysis of the debris field."

Tuvok quirked an eyebrow. "If it was an alien ship, it was of unusual composition. There was minimal debris and no signs of life...or death." He glanced at the First Officer. "Is there something I have missed?"

Chakotay shook his head once. "I don't know. There is a saying to describe certain feelings, 'Like someone walked over your grave.'"

"I have heard this expression, it is usually used by humans to add an aura of mystery to a story. It is, as far as I know, an idiomatic expression."

"Correct. Except soon after we first received the distress call...I cannot find any other way of adequately describing how I felt."

"Interesting." Tuvok stopped walking and faced Chakotay. "I too had experienced a sense of foreboding. I attributed it to knowing that Mr. Neelix was serving Ileradan Stew for dinner, again..." He started walking away.

Chakotay stood there with his eyes open wide trying to decide if he should laugh.

"Is there a problem, Commander?" A voice behind him said.

"No, Seven. I think Commander Tuvok just told a joke."

"A joke? As in a humorous antecedent?" She raised an eyebrow. "I did not realize Vulcans told jokes." She marched away.

#

Neelix tossed the dirty sponge into the recycler before answering Tom's question. "Let me think. I'll put fifteen credits on it being Ensign Harper."

"Ensign Harper--the red head from security?"

"Barbara Harper. She and Walter Baxter have been together now for four years."

"I know who she is," Tom said as he entered some data into his PADD. "I want to know why you think she is the one."

Neelix grinned. "Two months ago she stopped eating my Ileradan Stew, but last night she said she wanted a large bowl because she was craving it."

Tom punched in the information with a sigh. "That's fifteen credits on..." He stopped speaking with an oomph when Neelix jabbed him with a ladle.

"Good afternoon Ensign," Neelix said with a great big smile. "Do you want another bowl of stew?"

Barbara Harper shook her head. "No, I was really hoping you had some lemon ice cream?" Neelix shook his head. "Oh, that's okay, I'll see if I have any extra replicator rations." She smiled at the sight of Tom's PADD. "So, what are the odds on the Captain and Commander?"

"Even odds at the moment. The new one is when did they start."

Barbara nodded, then grinned evilly. "Her birthday party. Any other new games in town?"

"Just the usual...Ensign, how do you know that?"

Barbara raised an eyebrow, then walked away. Tom looked at Neelix, then his PADD and started to chase after her. "Wait, Barbara!"

Neelix watched with interest as the doors opened for Tom and he ran smack into the Captain. He bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"Ensign Paris," she said with far more dignity than Neelix expected her to have after landing on the floor with a soft thud. "Is there a fire?"

Tom blushed, then stammered. "No, no...Just that Ensign Harper may know the answer to a question...I mean I need to ask her a question."

Janeway shook her head, then held out her hand. "Help me up, then the Doctor was asking for you. You're to report to sick-bay in five minutes." She looked at him sternly as soon as she was on her feet again. "You should start now, since I really expect you to walk safely there--without running over anymore of my crew. Understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Tom glared at the Talaxian as he left.

"Ah, Captain. You are here for an early dinner?"

"No, not tonight. I wanted to stretch my legs. And I was hoping you still had some brumble pie left."

Neelix sighed, unhappy that he wasn't able to offer her any. "I'm sorry Captain. But Naomi took the last two pieces an hour ago. My god-daughter is having a tea party."

Janeway chuckled. "With Seven...She asked for the afternoon off. That's all right. I shouldn't eat it anyway. By the way, what is Tom taking bets on now?"

Neelix choked, then laughed. "Who's pregnant."

Janeway's eyes opened wide. "Is somebody?"

He shrugged. "No one knows...yet."

She didn't answer as she turned and walked to the replicator. Neelix watched as took the cup of coffee that appeared. He could tell she was bothered by the news and was sorry. She worried too much at times, he thought as he picked up another sponge and continued cleaning the counter.

This is the end of the third part of the Fortune Series.

I am not exactly sure what is up next. There is 2-4 weeks of repeats, and I am considering writing an interlude...Then there are the last 8 episodes of season 5. Those additions will be compiled under the title Fortune's Friend.

I do not think I will continue the series into season 6.

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