Still Waters
by Liz
Barr
May 2001
VOY, J, ?
rated [PG-13]
Summary: surely no one could be *that*
nice…
Sometimes I toy with the idea of telling her, just for the look on her face. Few people deceive Kathryn Janeway and get away with it for long. Certainly not for seven years.
It would be interesting to reveal myself. I can imagine her face: frozen for a second, completely transparent as she realises how thoroughly she's been betrayed, then mask-like.
It's an impossible daydream of course; there will be no deception as long as we're in the delta quadrant. The facade might even be maintained after our return. Lord knows, it's hard to move an agent into a position of complete trust, and why waste our elaborate set up?
So I'm left to imagine the revelation. Her face, the faces of the officers around us as they realise that they, too have been betrayed. Starfleet, Maquis … all nothing but pawns in an elaborate test of loyalties.
I see her in the mess hall, looking controlled and powerful. I give her a bland smile as my mind lingers on the flash of vulnerability she'd allow me to see before her mask was in place.
"Captain," I greet her.
Secure in my presence and the knowledge of my stalwart loyalty, she smiles back.
"Commander."
END