There's No Place That Far

Disclaimer: Star Trek: Voyager and all things contained therein is the property of Paramount Pictures. No infringement intended. See Chapter One for details.

Chapter Four

"I guess we should've expected this." Said Tabor. The young Bajoran sat on the cold cement floor of the holding cell, his chin propped on his fist. "And to think I actually thought we'd get a fair shake if we ever made it home. I'd come to believe that the rest of Starfleet was as just and trustworthy as Captain Janeway. What a damn fool I am."

"We don't know what's going to happen yet, Tabor." Countered Chakotay. "This may all be just a formality until the charges against us can be dropped through the official channels."

B'Elanna stared at him through narrowed eyes. "You don't really believe that do you, Chakotay?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then maybe you're the fool." Snarled Dalby. "I knew that trusting Starfleet was a mistake."

"He's right." Chell jumped in. The heavy-set Bolian always seemed to follow Dalby, making Chakotay wonder if he could even think for himself. "They'll never see us as anything but Maquis traders. We'll never fit in here."

"That's enough." Chakotay snapped. "I'll hear no more of it. Take a good look at yourselves. Those uniforms you're wearing meant something to each of you 24 hours ago. And they meant something to Captain Janeway when she issued them to you."

B'Elanna shook her dark head. "No one's blaming the captain, Chakotay. But Starfleet doesn't have to honor the field commissions she gave us. "

"Maybe not." he conceded. "But she'll fight like hell if they don't. You're all jumping to conclusions here. The fact is, we don't know anything yet. For all we know, Captain Janeway is at Starfleet Command right now straightening this all out." He glared at each one of them, the people he had been in more situations with than he could ever have imagined. "Now is not the time to start turning on the principles we've upheld for the last seven years. The captain has given us her all on this journey, sacrificed her own personal happiness to get you people home. Damn it - give her a chance. That's all I'm asking."

The room was quiet for several minutes as Chakotay's motley group of former freedom fighters contemplated his words. They soon realized that their commanding officer, their former captain, was absolutely correct. It was too early to know what would come of all this. And for now, they owed Captain Janeway the same loyalty she'd shown them. She'd do anything she could to see to their release. A mixture of "Aye, sir." and "Yes, Commander." floated around the room as the officer voiced their support.

Chakotay nodded, silently thanking them for their allegiance. They were good people, all of them. And despite the fact that his words seemed to have placated them, he felt his own frustration and anger rising. They shouldn't be here. It shouldn't be this way.

B'Elanna waddled over to Chakotay's side. "Is this seat taken?" she asked, gesturing to the empty patch of concrete at his right.

He smiled softly at her. "I was saving it for you." His eyes traveled to her abdomen. "That is, if you can still get down here."

"I'm pregnant, Chakotay." She chided. "Not an invalid." Despite her declaration of independence, she groaned and leaned on his shoulder on her way down.

Chakotay studied her face carefully. She looked worn and tired. "How you holding up?"

"I'm fine." She all but growled. "But this wasn't exactly the get together I had in mind."

He patted her hand affectionately. "We'll get out of here, B'Elanna. You don't think for one minute that Tom would let his daughter be born in a Federation prison do you?"

"He may not have a choice."

"Oh, I don't know about that." He said with more assurance than he felt. "He has friends in high places, remember? Who knows, maybe he's talking to his father, making arrangements to get you out of here right now."

B'Elanna snorted sarcastically. "Yeah, well I would love to see the expression on Admiral Paris' face when his only son tells him he married a Maquis. A half Klingon Maquis at that." She dropped her gaze to her abdomen, absently-mindedly stroking her unborn child.

"You're afraid Tom's family won't accept you and the baby."

"Let's just say I'm not expecting them to welcome us with open arms."

"I don't believe that." Chakotay said, ever the optimist. "There are many things to like about you, B'Elanna. Lower your shields and give them a chance to get to know you. If you let them see the side of you that I know, they'll love you."

Another snort. "You're a fine person to lecture me about lowering shields."

He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm talking about that little dance you and the captain have been doing around each other for the last seven years."

Chakotay suddenly became very interested in studying his boots.

"Oh, come on, Chakotay. Did you two really think that no one noticed?" She elbowed him gently in the ribs. "You two seemed rather cozy the last couple of days. Anything you want to share with your old friend?"

He looked deeply into her dark eyes, realizing that he did want to tell her, to confide in someone. "As a matter of fact, we shared a quiet evening together our last night in the Delta Quadrant. She told me that she was afraid of what might happen when we got here." Sadness washed over his handsome face. "She said she'd gotten used to me being part of her everyday life, and that she was afraid of losing me. She wants me in her life."

"That's terrific! I know you've had feelings for her for a long time." She studied him closely. "I thought this is what you wanted. So why do you look like you just lost your best friend?"

He shook his head gently. "Because I told her she didn't need to worry about that, that I'd always be there for her. I told her I would always find my way to her." He ran a hand through his dark hair in frustration. "What if I was wrong? What if your fears are founded, and they convict us? How would I live with the knowledge that I couldn't keep my promise to her?"

"Hey…" she took his hand in hers. "Now who's jumping to conclusions? You said yourself only minutes ago that she wouldn't stop until they let every one of us go free. I think it's your turn to have a little of that faith you're always talking about."

Chakotay nodded softly in understanding, and then fell quietly into his own thoughts, holding fast to B'Elanna's small hand.

B'Elanna sat silently at his side, her own thoughts filling her mind. She thought of Tom and the baby, and of how much she wanted the three of them to be together. We're counting on you, Captain."

"Kathryn!" Admiral Paris rushed forward, arms outstretched, to greet his favorite protégé. "Oh, Kathryn! It's wonderful to see you."

Janeway stepped into his embrace. Her small frame seemed to vanish against his larger one. "It's good to see you too, sir." She pulled back and looked into the admiral's intense blue eyes. So much like Tom's - why hadn't she noticed it before? She gestured to her Vulcan companion. "This is Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, my second officer."

Paris shook Tuvok's offered hand. "It's an honor. Please, Captain, Commander - have a seat." He gestured toward the chairs bordering his desk. "Can I get you anything?"

"A nice, stiff drink would be great right about now, eh Kathy?" Q said after he appeared between Janeway and Tuvok. Of course, Admiral Paris couldn't see him. "Tell him you want to knock back a few, get the blood out of your alcohol stream, get shit-faced, polish off the bubbly…"

Kathryn's posture stiffened slightly, but she gave no other evidence to Q's presence. Judging from the irritation she felt radiating from Tuvok, he could see him too. "No, thank you, Admiral. We're fine. Actually, we've come to talk with you about a matter of some urgency. You see…"

Suddenly, the door to the admiral's office flew open. Tom Paris rushed in, a nervous young ensign at his heels. "Sir, I told you that you'd have to wait outside." The young aide's eyes moved to her boss. "My apologies, Admiral. He refused to wait until you were finished here. Shall I summon security?"

"Well, helm boy has decided to join us." Quipped Q. "There goes the neighborhood." Janeway shot him a glare, but said nothing.

"It's all right, Ensign. You're dismissed." Admiral Paris rose to his feet, his face full of wonder as his eyes drank in the sight of a son he had once mourned for dead. He moved forward, a bit unsure. "Tom, my God! I can't believe you're really here. I never thought I'd see you again."

Despite his many years of suppressed anger and pain, Tom rushed without hesitation into his father's arms.

"How touching." Said Q, dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief bearing the Starfleet insignia. "You humans are so emotional."

Janeway fought the tears that began to swell in her eyes. This was one of the sights she had dreamt about, one that helped refuel her fire to bring her people home. Unfortunately, the beautiful moment was short lived.

Tom seized his father by the arms, an expression of sustained panic on his face. "Dad, you have to do something. You have to set things straight."

"Now, Tom, I know you and Captain Janeway are upset about the apprehension of the Maquis. I understand that after seven years on that ship together, they've become your friends, but that doesn't change…"

Tom cut him off. "They aren't just our friends, Dad! They're our family. In fact, one of them is my wife!"

"Oh, yes, of course." Chuckled Q, clapping Tuvok on the shoulder. "The snarling Klingon. Pretty to look at, but really just one step up from a targ on the evolutionary ladder. Don't you agree, my humorless friend?"

The admiral's face paled with the revelation. "Your wife? Tom, I had no idea…"

"Of course you didn't. Because we were never given the chance to speak. She was ripped from my hand the minute we stepped off the ship."

Admiral Paris looked genuinely sorrowful at his son's pain. "I'm so sorry, son. But even if I'd know that one of the Maquis was your wife, I…"

"Her name is B'Elanna." He snapped. "And she isn't a Maquis. She's a Starfleet officer who served the Federation for almost a decade. And…" His blue eyes bore into his father's skull. "She's carrying your grandchild."

Q snorted sarcastically. "Well that was certainly tactful. 'Hi Dad. I'm back from the dead. Oh, and I've married a criminal to the Federation and procreated. What's for lunch?'"

"My… my grandchild? Your wife is pregnant?" stammered Owen Paris.

"Well that is the usual way, isn't it?" Q scoffed. He moved to stand next to Janeway. "Smart man, your mentor. I can see why he's an admiral."

It was getting more and more difficult to ignore Q. Janeway glared at him once again, knowing full well that even her most menacing death glare had no effect on the super being. Audacious bastard.

"Yes." Said Tom emphatically. "She's pregnant, due anytime now in fact, and she's sitting in a cell somewhere." His eyes pleaded with his father. "Please, Dad. I swear I'll never ask you for help again for the rest of my life. But you've got to help me get her out of there."

"The hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning. I can't do anything before then." He said.

"What?" Janeway stepped toward Owen, surprise evident on her face. "That's three days from now. How are we supposed to prepare their defense in less than 72 hours?"

Admiral Paris put his hand on Janeway's shoulder. "Oh, come on Kathryn. It's not like you to let a little thing like time stand in your way. What happened to that fearless cadet who drew up a junior thesis proposal in a single weekend just because I challenged her to do it?"

Janeway's eyes fell momentarily to the floor. "A lot has changed since my academy days, sir. The stakes here are a lot greater than a thesis grade."

"Look, I'll be honest with you, with all of you." The admiral said.

"Now there's a novel idea." Quipped Q.

"This is a highly volatile situation. The war with the Dominion has left Starfleet more vulnerable than we've been in a long time. We suffered heavy losses and it has taken quite a toll on everyone." Owen Paris began to pace the room as he spoke, his large blue eyes displaying his sadness. "I'm afraid it has brought out the worst in some of the top officials at Starfleet Command. They're desperate for peace, for allies. So naturally when the Cardassians joined the allied forces in the final battle, we were all encouraged."

"You are saying we've formed an allegiance with the Cardassian Order?" Tuvok said.

"Oh, no one's gone so far as to officially call it an alliance. But for the most part, yes."

"Why?" Kathryn rasped. Admiral Paris, of all people, knew better than to trust the Cardassians.

"The Cardassians are powerful." Explained Owen Paris. We could use allies like that right now. But the peace is tenuous at best. I'm afraid the slightest incident could find us at odds with the Order, and that's not a position we want to be in."

Janeway's eyes flashed with anger as comprehension of exactly what was happening settled in. "They're scape goats." Her tone was deadly serious and quiet. "Starfleet is using the former Maquis as a sacrificial offering to appease the Cardassians."

Q, who at least had the good graces to keep his mouth shut as Janeway learned the truth, had perched himself on the admiral's desk, a bucket of popcorn in one hand and a large soft drink in the other as if he were watching the latest action movie at Tom's holographic theater.

The admiral shook his head. "Now you're over-reacting, Kathryn. It's not as dramatic as all that."

"The hell it isn't." shouted Tom. "Starfleet is afraid that if they let them go free, it'll upset the their little tea party with the lizard people."

"Calm down, Mr. Paris." Janeway didn't blame Tom for his anger. In fact, she felt the same way. She wanted to yell and scream too. But getting themselves thrown in the brig wouldn't help their friends.

"They're being used as fall guys, Captain. Pawns in Starfleet's little game of Cardassian chess." He glared at his father. "Did you know about this?"

"What?"

"When you communicated with Voyager just after we exited the wormhole, did you know this was going to happen?"

Admiral Paris gazed calmly at his son. "What are you insinuating, Tom?"

"I'm not insinuating anything. I'm just asking a question." Tom stepped menacingly into his father's personal space. "Captain Janeway spoke to you before we got to Earth. You knew about this then, and you kept your mouth shut so we wouldn't turn back, didn't you?"

"That's enough, Mr. Paris." Tuvok took Tom by the arm with the intention of escorting the outraged lieutenant from the room - until Janeway held up a hand up to stop him.

"Hold on, Tuvok." Her eyes never left the admiral's as she spoke. "I think that's a fair question. One I would like to hear the answer to." She folded her arms across her chest. "Is he right, Admiral? Did you know when you spoke to me that Starfleet had plans to apprehend my officers?"

Admiral Paris' eyes darkened with … was it anger or guilt? "Are you questioning me, Captain?"

"With all due respect, sir, I suppose I am."

"Oh, Goodie!" exclaimed Q. "I just love it when she gets like this. Kathy, has anyone ever told you you're beautiful when you're challenging authority and destroying your career?"

Admiral Paris looked pointedly at Janeway. "Yes. Yes, I knew that Starfleet Command was planning to detain the Maquis. But I was under strict orders not to reveal that to you. Just because I'm an Admiral doesn't mean I don't have people to answer to, Kathryn. It was out of my hands."

"Sure, you were following orders. It was beyond your control, right? Do those words comfort you, Dad? Will they help you sleep tonight?" Tom didn't give his father a chance to answer. "Know this, old man. If you stand by and do nothing, and B'Elanna is convicted of these ridiculous crimes and taken from me, I'll never forgive you. And you will never hold your granddaughter. B'Elanna and the others have paid their dues. They've spent seven years working on a Starfleet ship, following orders from a Starfleet Captain and living by Starfleet guidelines. And this is their payment for loyal service, being fed to Cardassian wolves? I hope the rewards are sweet, because the price will be higher than you could've imagined."

Tom shot his father one last scorching glare, nodded respectively at his captain, and then exited the room.

Q jumped to his feet, applauding enthusiastically. "Wonderful, an absolutely wonderful soliloquy helm boy! That was absolutely riveting, don't you agree? Who'd have thought that your pilot had theatrical aspirations?" Q placed a hand over his heart. "I must say I'm quite moved."

That was it. Janeway had heard about all she could stand. That was enough revelation, and enough omnipotence, for one meeting. She turned toward the door and motioned for Tuvok to follow her. "We're not solving anything by standing here."

Admiral Paris' voice stopped her just a step or two from the door. "Let Starfleet handle this, Kathryn. You'll only end up harming your career by getting involved. Just take care of your own business."

She turned to fully face the admiral, her eyes stone gray with steel and determination. "They are my business, Admiral Paris. They're my crew, and they're my friends. I will fight for their fair treatment with my last breath. And if that ends my career, so be it. I pledged to serve Starfleet when it was a just and honest organization. If turning your back on your own people, and selling them out to gain political ground are the new principles, then I have no desire to wear this uniform."

She nodded to Tuvok and walked out the door, leaving a dumbfounded admiral and an applauding super being in her wake.

Janeway walked down the corridor in virtual silence, Tuvok at her elbow.

"What do you intend to do, Captain?"

She bit her lower lip in thought, and when nothing came to mind, she rubbed her temples and sighed. "I don't know, Tuvok. But I have to do something."

"Indeed we do."

She stopped walking and looked at her old friend. "We?"

"That is what I said, yes."

"Oh no. I can't involve you in this." She shook her head emphatically. "You heard what Admiral Paris said, Tuvok. You'd be putting your career on the line. I can't allow you to do that."

He regarded her with a raised eyebrow. "With all due respect, Captain, it is not your choice to make. Starfleet's recent behavior is contradictory to the very principles it upon which it was founded. I have no intention of condoning or participating in this mockery of justice. If this is the way Starfleet now conducts matters, I have no desire to stand among them. So you see, my career is irrelevant."

A proud smile curled on Janeway's lips. "Sounds like iron clad Vulcan logic to me." She patted Tuvok on the shoulder. "All right, let's get started. We have a lot of work to do."

The next two days were hectic and emotional for all concerned. While the former members of the Maquis sat in a Federation prison, the rest of the crew was reunited with their friends and families. The reunions were bittersweet, however. For as many times as they had dreamed of these moments, the idea that they were experiencing them, when their friends and crewmates were not, made the occasions as painful as they were joyous.

Janeway had been reunited with her mother and Phoebe, but the caramel brownies left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth as she told them about Chakotay and the others. And she found that, no matter where she went, she couldn't escape the media. Tuvok's wife, T'Pel, had taken the first available passenger ship to Earth and was reunited with her husband. When Janeway apologized to her for occupying so much of his time in preparation for the trial, the Vulcan women had simply said, "My husband goes where he is needed, Captain Janeway. And I am pleased to follow him."

Neelix and Seven of Nine, both somewhat intimidated by the hustle and bustle of Earth, had been invaluable. They had done much of the footwork that Kathryn simply didn't have enough time to do. They'd enlisted the help of the doctor to study the ship's logs, noting every action the former Maquis had taken in the Delta Quadrant. They were thorough, planning to use every laudable action and defend every questionable one. They left no stone unturned, and assured Janeway that there would be no surprises. They were as ready as they could be.

Harry Kim, after a tearful reunion with his parents, had stayed in close contact with Janeway, doing whatever he could to assist in the Maquis' defense as he tried to comfort Tom. Tom, however, was inconsolable. Of all the unbelievable things that had happened since their return, his actions shocked Janeway the most.

When Starfleet denied Tom the right to visit his wife before the hearing, he marched into Rear Admiral Roberts' office carrying a PADD bearing his resignation from Starfleet. He ceremoniously removed his pips and dropped them on the desk, saying only that Starfleet had been a bigger disappointment to him than he ever could've been to them. Then, as a civilian, he'd gone straight to the media, pleading the Maquis' case publicly. He spoke to every journalist who would listen. He spoke of honor and service. He told tales of sacrifice and forgiveness. And he told the story of a captain who had combined two crews and guided them as they shed their hatred and prejudice and became one crew, a Starfleet crew. And now they were separated and persecuted by the very organization they'd dedicated their lives to serving.

Tom had the public's ear, and their sympathy. They rallied around him and his captain. And Starfleet Command was swarmed with angry letters and protests. The public outcry was deafening as members of the Federation from many worlds marched in front of headquarters, demanding the release of the Voyager heroes. "They should get commendations not convictions!" The words were hurled at every brass-wearing official at Starfleet. And Tom decided that, if nothing else, it would make life at headquarters a living hell for a while.

When the morning of the hearing arrived, Janeway received a communiqué from Admiral Roberts ordering her to appear in Conference Room Two an hour before the trial was to commence. This didn't surprise her. What did surprise her, however, was what she saw when she entered the room.

"Chakotay…" she rasped, tears immediately flooding her eyes. He stood near the large table, a gentle smile on his handsome face. She ran to him, oblivious to the four officials who were also in the room.

The tall man opened his arms to receive her, inhaling deeply of her lightly scented hair as she folded herself into his arms. "Kathryn, I've missed you so much."

"You're okay, thank God." She pulled back to look in his dark eyes. "How are B'Elanna and the others? Are they here too?"

Before he could answer, Admiral Roberts cut their reunion short. "Captain Janeway, if you and Mr. Chakotay would please take a seat, we can get started."

She looked at him through narrowed eyes as she took a seat next to Chakotay. "Started with what? What's going on here?"

The man sat several PADDS down before the couple. "It seems your Mr. Paris has been quite busy the last 72 hours. Take a look for yourselves."

They both skimmed the headlines from several Earth tabloids and news journals. They portrayed the Voyager crew as Little Red Riding Hood, and Starfleet as the Big Bad Wolf. Janeway failed to suppress a wry grin. Nicely done, Tom.

Chakotay sat the PADD down on the table. "So he's gone to the media. Someone was bound to eventually. What does that have to do with us?"

"It has forced the issue. The public is outraged." Admiral Chan said, pressing his palms against the table to emphasize his point. "They see you as a hero, Captain Janeway. And they see your Maquis friends as victims of some cruel Starfleet plot."

"Then they see them pretty much the same way I do." Janeway retorted. "What's happening here is not only unjust, it's scandalous."

"Look, Captain…" said Roberts, "We didn't come here to debate Starfleet morality with you. We called you and Mr. Chakotay here to propose a solution to our mutual problem."

"Our mutual problem?" said Chakotay incredulously. "Let my people go free. End of problem."

"We intend to." Said Chan. "But there are some conditions that must be met."

Janeway arched a graceful eyebrow. That didn't sound good. "Such as?"

Admiral Roberts rested his elbows on the table, leaning forward as he spoke. "This situation has been escalated to ridiculous proportions already, and the media waits outside this building as we speak. So I believe this is a time for brevity. I'll get right to the point."

"By all means." Janeway said.

"We've studied your logs, Captain. We know everything that occurred in the Delta Quadrant. Well, everything you recorded at least. I think you'll agree that you weren't without fault in your performance. You traded technology with great frequency, violated the prime directive on more than one occasion, you even forged an alliance with the Borg and allowed them to modify a federation ship to launch a war on another species."

"I did what I thought was best at the time." Janeway said, appearing unruffled despite her pounding heart.

"You made a bad decision. Many actually, by the looks of your logs." Said Chan. "These are issues that may need to be formally addressed."

Chakotay was outraged at the insinuation that they had something to hold over Kathryn's head. "We were stranded 70,000 light years from Federation space, alone with no allies and no where to turn for support. Captain Janeway kept us alive and on a course for home. What would you have done?"

At that moment, Q appeared. This time he was wearing judicial robes. "Interesting, isn't it, Kathy? There's that word again - home. It seems someone tried to warn you about all this ugliness. Let's see, who was that handsome devil that tried to spare you such unnecessary pain?" He tapped his finger on his chin as if he were searching his memory. "Oh, yes. It was little old me, of course. Too bad you didn't listen."

Janeway put a hand on Chakotay's arm to quiet him before he could respond to Q. The last thing she needed was for him to look like he was arguing with midair.

"I'm not going to debate this with you." Roberts said. "Here's the bottom line. We're prepared to release the Maquis and drop all charges."

"And in return?" Janeway said, knowing there would be a costly price.

"In return they will each be assigned to different posts. They must agree to stay in Starfleet, where we can keep an eye on them. And they'll be separated so that they can't ban together and make trouble."

Janeway glared at Roberts and Chan. "They'll never agree to that, and neither will I."

"Oh, I think you will." Said Roberts, looking more and more like the dangerous predator he really was. "You see, your days of space exploration are over, Captain. You'll be reassigned to Starfleet headquarters. You'll have your own office with a nice mahogany desk and a nameplate. Right here where we can watch your every move."

A desk job? "And if I refuse?"

"If you refuse you'll be court-martialed." Said Roberts matter-of-factly. "Think hard about this, Captain. Do you really want to put yourself, your family, and your crew through that? A trial will be harrowing for all concerned. You'll answer for everything. The borg, the situation with the Equinox, the replicator technology you gave the Hirogen, your affair with your first officer…"

Janeway regarded the admirals with a look of pure abhorrence. "There was no affair with my first officer. But … you already know that don't you?"

"It doesn't matter what I know. It only matters what the public will believe."

"That's black mail!" shouted Chakotay.

"Well done, Chuckles!" exclaimed Q. "You got another one! Perhaps I underestimated you."

"This is a serious situation, Captain Janeway. I assure you, you don't want to take us on because you won't win. I feel no sympathy for you. I knew all along that Starfleet's golden girl had to be more tarnished than she let on. You're only getting this chance because Admiral Paris went to bat for you and for your Maquis crew. Don't make this any harder on Owen than it's already been." Roberts rose from his seat and leaned down in front of Janeway's face. "You can sit by and watch as your Maquis crewmembers are convicted and sent to prison, your doctor is decompiled, your liberated drone is studied under a microscope, your ship is decommissioned, and your career goes straight to hell. Or you can be reasonable and agree to our terms. But know this, Janeway, we will protect our understanding with the Cardassians at any cost. You and your wayward crew are a small price to pay."

The admirals rose and headed for the door. "The hearing has been postponed. You have 24 hours to make your decision."

Kathryn dropped her head into her hands in an effort to hide her tears. She had done this, and now they would all suffer for it.

Q hopped onto the table in front of them. "Well, Kathy, I must say I am impressed. You've managed to single handedly ruin 150 lives. In 72 hours you've caused a chain of events that sent your career down in flames, and look at you - not a hair out place. How do you do it?"

Chakotay grabbed the arrogant being by his robes. "Don't you have a modicum of compassion? Now is not the time for this, Q. Just get the hell out of here and leave us alone!"

Q looked at Janeway. "That isn't really what you want, is it Madame Captain?"

"Leave her alone, Q."

"I could. I should. But I won't. You see, Chuckles, your captain is much smarter than you. She knows that she needs my help. She knows you people are … what's that expression? Up shit creek without a paddle?" He put a hand on Janeway's shoulder, a smirk on his face. "What was that agreement we had before? Something about you having to beg before I would help you? I prefer all out groveling myself, boot kissing and all." He leaned back on the table in an exaggerated effort to get comfortable. "Whenever you're ready, Kathy. I've can wait all day. I've got gobs of time."

Chapter Five.

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