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Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: The regular folks belong to Paramount. I decided to let them procreate. 




Kathryn Janeway was clearly irritated. 
"Doctor, I feel perfectly capable of conducting these negotiations." 
"Yes, I know," the doctor said wearily. "But we also agreed that you would restrict yourself to light duty at this time in your pregnancy." 
She sighed. "Yes, I know." But that was before the Vontax and their insistence that they negotiate trade only with the captain. 
The doctor looked at Chakotay. He shrugged. "I had a hard enough time just convincing her to stay on the ship." 
It was the doctor's turn to sigh. "Fine, then," he said resignedly. "Let's try to take a break every hour or so, shall we?" 
Janeway was out the door before he finished. 
"Are we ready?" she asked, once she and Chakotay were in the turbolift. 
He nodded. "The Vontax delegation is in the conference room." He cocked his head. "You sure you're OK?" 
She laid a hand on his cheek. "I'm fine. Really. We'll do this, and then I'll give you command of the ship for a while so I can play mommy." 
Actually, things had been going well .. almost too well. The quadrant had been quiet. Pregnancy, this time around, had been relatively stress-free. In fact, the only controversy had been over what to name their second son. 
"You know, I think Neelix has been lobbying me," she said. 
"For what? More leola root?" 
"Uh, uh. I think he wants us to name this baby after him," she teased. 
The look on her husband's face spoke volumes. 
She was still laughing as they reached the conference room. 
The Vontax were waiting. 
On the surface, they looked benign enough, Chakotay thought. They had certainly been solicitous of Kathryn. But something about them .... an underlying arrogance, perhaps, made him uneasy. 
Prelate Antrew, the leader, did nothing to dispel his unease. The man bordered on obnoxious. 
But right now, he was trying his best to be charming. 
"Captain ... I bring you greetings from our world. We are pleased that you are able to conduct negotiations with us." 
Kathryn's eyes twinkled. The prelate was not at all happy about having to come up to Voyager, and she knew it. 
"Thank you Prelate," she said. "Shall we get down to business?" 
Antrew was a skilled negotiator, but a fair one. The list of trade items was whittled down until one remained: Weapons. 
"I'm sorry, Prelate," Kathryn said. "Voyager cannot give you the phasers you ask for." 
Antrew appeared slightly agitated. "Captain, our defense forces are low on weaponry. We have been engaged in a war against rebel forces for some time. Your technology would help us." 
"I'm sorry. I will share technology from this quadrant, but I cannot give you Federation weapons. " 
Antrew's eyes narrowed slightly, then he recovered. 
"I see. Perhaps then, we should bring this session to an end for now." He smiled deferentially as Kathryn rose, with some difficulty. 
"Here, let me help," he said, grasping her arm. 
No one noticed the small homing device that he attached to her sleeve. 


The bridge was quiet, just the humming of the engines. Chakotay leaned back and allowed himself the luxury of relaxing. The Vontax had gone back to the surface; they would begin trade tomorrow. And Kathryn had decided to go back to quarters for a nap. 
"If I remember correctly, I won't have too many more opportunities," she joked as she headed for the turbolift. 
His relaxation was broken by Harry's voice: 
"We're being approached by a small craft, Commander. It appears to be a buoy of some sort." 
"Shields up! Weapons?" 
"None aboard, but it appears to have some sort of damp...." Tuvok's explanation was cut short by a quick flash on the bridge. 
"Transport beam," Harry yelled, then looked at him in alarm. 
"Officers' deck. Captain's quarters." 
Chakotay instinctively slapped his comm badge. "Chakotay to Janeway." 
Silence 
Slightly desperate now, he asked, "Computer, locate Captain Janeway." 
"Captain Janeway is not aboard the ship," the digital voice replied, way too calmly. 
He didn't wait for the sentence to finish. "Tuvok, have a security team meet me in the Captain's quarters," Chakotay said as he ran to the turbolift. 
He sprinted down the corridor, praying to whatever gods he could summon that the computer was wrong. The security team had the door open when he got there, and he ran past them into the living room. 
Paka was standing in the doorway to his parents' bedroom, looking bewildered. Chakotay knelt in front of his son, gently grasping his arms. 
"Are you all right?" 
Paka nodded, his eyes wide. 
"Where's Mama?" 
He shook his dark head. "Mama gone." 
"Where, son? Can you tell me how she left?" 
"Beemb," he said, turning to point toward the bedroom. 
### 
Kathryn felt an unfamiliar dizziness as she materialized, and she reached out  for anything to support her. 
Just what in hell was going on? She had just walked into her bedroom, intending to stretch out for a nap, when she felt the tingling of a transporter beam. 
As her vision cleared, she caught sight of her surroundings. She was in a cabin of some sort. A fireplace ... a wooden chair in her grasp .... 
And two Vontax standing in front of her, phasers trained at her midsection. 
Both were roughly clothed, in contrast to the rich robes the government officials wore. The shorter one, a woman, was coolly dispassionate. But the man with her looked terrified. He was shouting something that the translator was not picking up, but she bet they were a string of Vontaxian curse words. The last few phrases, though, were loud and clear. "She's with child! What the sprits was he thinking? We can't!" 
"Shut up!" his companion hissed. "So what?" 
She turned her attention back to Kathryn. "Sorry , Captain. We mean you no harm, but we need you." 
Kathryn resisted the urge to clutch her swollen abdomen. She needed to be a Starfleet officer right now, so she drew herself up in her most intimidating Captain's stance. 
"What is the meaning of this? I demand to be returned to my ship." 
The woman shook her head. "You will be the guest of the resistance for a while," she said. "You'll find food and water on the table. We have no intention of harming you ... as long as we get what we want. Now, if you'll excuse us..." 
They left, locking the door behind them, and leaving Kathryn bewildered ... .and angry. 
### 
"All right," Chakotay demanded. "Just how in hell did they get a transporter beam through our shields?" He glared at the assembled officers in the conference room. 
"Pretty advanced technology, Commander," Harry offered. "They had the beam in before the shields went up, and managed to skate right over them." 
"And how did they know where to find the captain?" 
"Two possibilities," Seven interjected. "A sophisticated targeting device. Or a homing device." 
Homing device. The thought chilled him. "Tuvok..." 
The Vulcan was ahead of him. "We checked sensor data. None of the Vontax was near the officers' deck. However, it is possible that one of them had opportunity to plant such a device on the captain without being observed." 
Chakotay's thoughts were growing darker by the minute. but they were interrupted by Ensign Kean. "Commander, the Vontax's leader is on the viewscreen." 
He switched on the screen to see an elderly man. "Chancellor Febru," Chakotay began. 
The old man didn't seem to be paying attention. "Terrible, Terrible," he replied distractedly. 
Chakotay and Tuvok glanced at each other. This was the leader of Vontax? 
Antrew's arrival cut short the old man's rambling. "Commander," he said crisply. "We have proof your captain was taken by our country's resistance forces." He nodded, and another image filled the screen. 
It was that of a Vontax female, reading from what seemed to be a prepared text. "We demand the resignation of Chancellor Febru, and that he be turned over to us for a trial to answer for his crimes. If not, we will killed the alien captain within two suns." 
Antrew's face reappeared. "We, of course, are doing everything to find your captain. Our troops are searching the mountain hideouts of the resistance." 
"We would like to join the search, "Tuvok said. "I can have an away team down in ...." 
"I understand. I will have our security officers contact you. We will let you know if there is any more news." 
Then he signed off. 
"I don't like this, Chakotay," B'Elanna murmured. "This resistance movement. That woman looked too well fed to be a rebel. And that technology...." 
"I agree," Chakotay said. "And if you take Seven's theory about a homing device into account, this story sounds even more off base." 
"I propose we send an away team down to gather information," Tuvok said. 
"We certainly will. And we'll send them to the mountain areas of their so-called resistance. I think we'll just get some answers on our own." 
### 
Kathryn finally allowed herself to sit on the narrow bed. Her perusal of the room hadn't yielded any means of escape. 
She was in a forest, she could tell that much from the bird calls, and the trees she could see through the window. Unfortunately the window was small ... and close to the ceiling. There was no way she could get out in her present condition. The door was securely locked, and there were no panels or loose floorboards ... at least none she could squeeze through. 
Damn! This was one of her fears about being pregnant. That she'd get into some situation where she or the ship was in danger and she'd be unable to do anything about it. 
She could hear voices in the other room. The female was talking to someone ... the voice sounded familiar. She strained, but couldn't quite place it. 
"Don't worry, Vondi, it will work," Antrew chided. 
"Are you sure? You think the old goat will fall for it?" 
Antrew laughed. "He's quite concerned. I've convinced him that he should make an appearance for show, that I'll have secret troops there to protect him. Then of course, we kill him and blame it on the resistance." 
"And this woman?" 
Antrew smiled thinly. "Unfortunately, she may have to die, too. A pity..." 
### 




Chakotay sat beside Paka's bed, watching his firstborn sleep. Normally, the sight filled him with peace. But not tonight. 
The darkness was overtaking him again. 
Part of the rage was at himself. How could he not have protected her. Especially now? 
He ... they had always known this was a possibility. They were in a dangerous profession  in a dangerous part of the universe. They had talked about this: If something should happen, the other would go on ... take the ship and their child or children home. 
But gods ... if their luck had run out ... could he go on? 
He glanced up as a shadow moved across the bed. M'baath was in the doorway. 
"You're wanted at the brig," she whispered. 
He gently caressed Paka's hair, then got up and left without a word. 
M'baath watched him go. He was not the same ... she could see the fury in him, bubbling under the surface. 
She was fond of Chakotay; since the day he carried her out of that wreck of a shuttle, she had considered him a surrogate son. She had heard the stories of course, about why Voyager was out here; about the Maquis, Chakotay's father. 
It had been hard to consider Chakotay a terrorist; not this man who was so devoted to his Kathryn and their son. But now, she saw, and the knowing brought him closer. 
"We all have our dark sides," she thought. Even her. She carried her own rage, and everytime she thought of her sons, hanging dead in the town square, it welled inside her again. At least Chakotay had some means of revenge. 
### 


"He tried to attack Crewman Kennit, sir. We thought it best to bring him back before he could alert others." Ensign Craft was almost stammering. Both Chakotay and Tuvok looked pissed that he'd brought this ragtag thief aboard. There go his pips ... 
Chakotay couldn't figure out who this man was. He was short, stocky ... nothing like the long-limbed Vontax. Defiant, too. 
Who are you? Why did you attack my crew?" 
The man answered in a language that the translator couldn't handle. Though from the look on his face, Chakotay suspected the answer was, "F*** off!" 
He tried again ... the translator needed something to work with. "Look, I have no intention of harming you. Answer my question, and I'll send you back to the surface." 
The man muttered something, but it was enough. Soon, the translator kicked in. 
"I'm sure you've been told all about us by the Vontax," he sneered. 
"And what would they tell us?" Tuvok asked 
"That we're the feared resistance ... and by the way, we don't have your captain." 
"How would you know about that?" Chakotay asked. 
"Word gets around. The government is blaming us, as usual. They've probably grabbed her." 
The hair stood up on the back of Chakotay's neck. 
"Look, I'm Chakotay, the first officer. This is Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, the security officer.. And you're ...." 
The man looked at them, taking measure. "Daven." 
"You are not a Vontaxian ..." Tuvok observed. 
Daven looked at him with contempt. "Astute," he muttered. "No, I'm Itiarn." 
The Starfleet officers said nothing. Daven squirmed a bit, uncomfortable. "We are 'guests' of the Vontax. That is, my ancestors were kidnapped a couple of generations ago and brought here. Since then, we've been the forced labor that keeps the Vontax mining operations going." 
"And you're tired of being forced labor?" 
Daven nodded. "Some have managed to find their way back to the homeworld ... at least we think so. Some of us would prefer to live here ... as free men. So we fight." 
"And why did you attack our search party?" Tuvok asked. 
He shrugged. "You have weapons; materials. We're not exactly swimming in supplies." 
Chakotay nodded to Tuvok, and the two walked out of hearing range. 
"I'm inclined to believe him," Chakotay said. 
"His story is more logical than the Vontax," the Vulcan agreed. 
"Then," Chakotay said. "Let's see if he can help us." 
Chakotay nodded to the guard, who disabled the holding cell's force field. He tossed Daven the PADD containing the ransom transmission. 
Daven watched for a few moments, then began to laugh. "I can't believe it! How clumsy can they get? " He tossed the PADD back. "You are obviously being duped. That woman certainly isn't part of the resistance, though some Vontax do fight with us." He shook his head. "Then again, how would you know? The Vontax certainly aren’t going to expose their dirty little secrets." 
"So, can you help us?" Chakotay asked, and held his breath. 
"Perhaps. For supplies, weapons." 
"Supplies, yes. Weapons, maybe," he replied, ignoring Tuvok. 
"I can't be too picky," Daven smiled. "Then again, neither can you." 
### 
"Time flies when you're having fun," Kathryn thought grimly. She'd been trying for hours to activate the homing signal on her comm badge. Voyager may not detect it, but at least it gave her something to do. And doing was better than thinking ... especially where Chakotay and Paka were concerned. 
Problem was, she didn't have anything that could be used as a tool; fingernails weren't going to do it. And her captors took her utensils away after each meal. 
She noticed, however, that they had left her door unlocked. She could tell, from listening, that the male Vontaxian was usually her lone guard. And he went outside a lot. In fact ... she strained to hear, hardly believing her luck. Thank the gods! The outside door just clicked. 
Quietly, she edged open the door ... just a crack. The outer room held tables, chairs and another fireplace. The guard wasn't around, but she didn't want to get too far away from the door ... God knows she couldn't move quickly. 
She scanned the room.. "A tool kit," she begged no deity in particular. 
Nope. Nothing. These people were way too neat, she thought darkly. Then, on the sideboard, she saw a small fork. 
"Well, it will have to do, " she thought, and crept forward to get her prize. She considered lingering a bit, but decided it wouldn't be wise. Besides, she had work to do. 
### 
Chakotay looked up distractedly as Daven stood up to stretch. "Sorry, long day," he murmured, returning his attention to the maps in front of him. He culled his Maquis background ... where would they hide Kathryn? In plain sight? Or not? 
Despite Tuvok's better judgment, he had allowed Daven access to the communications equipment, so he could contact his people. In return, he offered maps ... locations of government installations. If, as Daven speculated, the government did kidnap Kathryn, they could come in handy. 
He realized Daven was watching him, and he returned the appraisal with a cocked eyebrow. 
For the first time, the Itiarn smiled. "I'm curious. Why are you trusting me?" 
Let's say it's because I don't trust Antrew ... let's say it's because I used to be a member of a resistance movement myself." 
It was Daven's turn to cock an eyebrow. "Well, I don't blame you about Antrew. He's been waiting for Febru to die so he can take over what he considers to be his rightful place. But what do you mean about belonging to a resistance movement?" 
"I was fighting a race that took over my homeworld;  and killed my father. It's a long story." 
Daven nodded. His gaze swept Chakotay's desk, then rested on a picture of Kathryn and Paka. 
"Your wife and child?" Chakotay nodded. 
"Are they aboard?" he grinned again. "I think I would have remembered your wife." 
"My boy's in our quarters. My wife's not aboard right now ... she's the captain." 
He saw the shock register in Daven's eyes. "There's something else you should know. She's with child. I think you can understand why I'm especially anxious to get her back." 
The Itiarn looked slightly pale. "I had a son once." 
"Once? What happened?" 
"Sickness tends to go though mining camps," he shrugged. "The boy got sick ... but there were no healers in the camps. I asked the one that the Vontax bosses used; he ignored me." 
He looked down. "The day we buried our son, my wife and I got out of the camp and joined the resistance." He looked at Chakotay then. "Maybe I can at least save your child." 
### 
"Prelate, it has been more than 24 hours, and we have no assurances that our captain is alive, or that you are trying to find her." Chakotay spoke through clenched teeth; merely looking at Antrew was making him angry. 
Antrew, however, was unruffled. "I assure you, commander, that we are doing what we can." 
Chakotay stood abruptly and walked toward the viewscreen. "My captain is a reasonable person; however, I am not. I don't believe you. I think you are in contact with the resistance. And if I don't get some answers soon, I am going to start blowing your country to bits." 
"What good would it do your captain to be released if we have to destroy your ship?" 
"From what I can see, we have more to fear from your resistance.. Check your sensors Antrew; we've targeted your main mine." He slashed the air with his hand, and the screen went blank. 
"Quite a performance," Daven allowed. 
"Quite," echoed Tuvok. "But we are, if I may say, playing what the captain would call a dangerous game." 
Chakotay nodded. He had no choice; Daven's news this morning was not good. The whispers in the capital were that the chancellor was going to meet with the resistance to gain Kathryn's release. With only Antrew along, despite the warnings of his security chief. If this was a setup, Kathryn could be in danger. 
### 
Forks didn't make the best tools for working with comm badges, Kathryn mused. But, at least it worked. The homing device was activated. 
Carefully, she tucked the badge into a window sill; and sent along a silent plea that Voyager would detect it.  She was laboriously climbing off the bed, when she heard voices in the other room. She strained .... the woman, Vondi, she recognized. The other voice .... 
"Maybe we should just kill her now." 
"No, we can't. We're too close. The old man bought it, Vondi. He agreed to meet the resistance. All we have to do is kill both him and the captain then. It will look like a resistance attack. But right now, I need her alive to keep those fools on Voyager from ruining our plans." 
The hair stood up on Kathryn's neck. She recognized the other voice. 
Antrew. 
Cold fury soaked her as she realized what may have happened. A setup. She was a convenient tool to help overthrow a government. She had to find a way to get out of here and contact Voyager. 
She heard the door close, then footsteps toward her room. She awkwardly scrambled back to the bed. 
The door opened, and Vondi, if that was her name, beckoned her. 
"Come out captain; I need you to send a message to your ship." 
### 
Antrew appeared on the viewscreen, his face grim. "Well, commander, it seems the resistance has graced us with a message from your captain." 
Chakotay nodded, and in the next moment, Kathryn's image appeared. Thank the gods, she seemed unharmed. Just tired and strained. 
"Chakotay, I want you and the crew to know I am all right. I have been treated well." She smiled slightly. "I would like to get back." She paused, and everyone on the bridge held their breath. "I ... I would like to send a message to my son," she continued softly. "Tell  Edward ... that I will be back very soon to read 'Little Red Riding Hood' to him." 
With that, the screen went blank. 
An hour later, Chakotay, Daven, and most of the senior staff were in the briefing room, intently watching the message again. Not that Chakotay minded; just seeing Kathryn, knowing she was alive was comforting. 
"I'm sorry," Daven said. "I can't pick up anything from the surroundings. It's a cabin, but it could be in the mountains, in the forests ... I don't know." 
"I don't understand the message to Paka," Tom Paris chimed in. "I know she's trying to tell us something, but what?" 
"It's funny, " B'Elanna said," that she would even call him by his given name. She always calls him Paka." 
"Unless he's in trouble, " Chakotay mused. 
B'Elanna's head snapped up. "Could she be telling us she is in trouble?" 
Chakotay half rose from his seat. "It's possible ..... but I can't help you with 'Little Red Riding Hood.' She's never read that to Paka, as far as I know. M'baath has gone through his books; nothing." 
The doors open to admit Seven of Nine. "Commander, I have information that I believe may be of use." 
"Which is?" 
The former Borg stopped in front of him. "I have spoken to Naomi Wildman. The 'Red Riding Hood' story is an Earth tale for children." 
"Yes, Seven, from the 20th Century; we found that in the database," Paris said. 
"That is irrelevant. Naomi Wildman knows this story. It is about a young girl who walks through the forest to visit her grandmother. However, a wolf has devoured the grandmother, and is now dressed in the grandmother's clothing. It is awaiting the young girl so it can devour her, too." Seven shook her head. "An inappropriate story for young children." 
The assemblage looked at each other; an idea began to form. 
"A forest?" Daven asked. "It's possible she might be held in the government's park." 
"Sounds possible," B'Elanna agreed. "But a wolf in grandmother's clothing?" 
"There's an old phrase, 'A wolf in sheep's clothing,'" Paris offered. 
"Perhaps," said Tuvok gravely, "the captain is trying to tell us what we've suspected all along; someone is not what he seems to be." 
### 


For once, luck had been with them. On Daven's speculation, they began sensor sweeps of all the government parks and forest installations. Eventually, in the middle of the main forest preserve, they hit pay dirt: A homing signal with a Federation frequency. 
Kathryn was there, with luck she was alive. 
"Just hold on, love," Chakotay thought. "We'll be down to get you." 


But before they could get a rescue plan in place, their luck turned. 
"We have to move now," Daven said. "My people say the Chancellor has left to meet the so-called resistance." 
Chakotay's stomach sank. Their hopes of getting Kathryn out without a confrontation were dashed; sensors had shown that the camp was surrounded; probably Antrew's conspirators. 
Tuvok was studying the maps again: "What route will the Chancellor take? I have an idea." 
### 
Febru was muttering to himself as the vehicle bounced over the badly-paved road. "Shut up," Antrew muttered. 
But the old man's hearing was keener than he thought. "What was that?" 
"Er ... your excellency, I was just saying that we were getting near." 
"You are sure this will work?" 
Antrew's reply was cut off as he suddenly hit the brakes. There, blocking the road, was a group of aliens in yellow and black. Those damn fools from Voyager!  
The leader stepped forward, and peered into the passenger window. "Chancellor, I am Lieutenant Commander Tuvok from the Federation Starship Voyager. We are here to warn you not to go to your meeting." 
"What is this?" Antrew blustered. 
"We have information that the Chancellor will be ambushed if he continues on this path," Tuvok replied smoothly. "I'm sure you are not willing to risk his safety." 
"Of course not," Antrew muttered darkly. "I'm afraid, Chancellor, that Voyager will have to find another way to rescue their captain," he said, as he turned the vehicle around. 
"It's working, Commander; the guards around the camp are moving away." Harry said. 
"And Tom and Daven are in position," B'Elanna added. 
"How many life signs in the cabin?" 
"Ah ... four. One is pretty faint." 
" Three guards ... not good," Chakotay mused. 
"It may not be three," B'Elanna said, and laughed at Chakotay's puzzled look. "The baby ... did you forget so soon?" 
### 




Kathryn could hear Antrew yelling over the comm line. 
"Damn fools ... spoiled our plans. I've pulled the guards. Get out of there." 
Vondi's voice now. "What about the Captain?" 
"Kill her." 
Shit. She was trapped. She frantically devised a plan ... any plan. 
Moment of truth. The door opened, framing Vondi and the male guard. "Sorry, Captain. We didn't get what we wanted." She turned to the guard. "Shoot her." 
The guard's mouth dropped open. "Me? Forget it! I don't kill..." 
His final words were lost in the "snap'" of the phaser and his gasp as he slumped to the floor. 
Outside, Tom and Daven heard the noise. "We have to go in. Now," Paris said grimly as he charged for the door. 
"What can I say? Men can be unpredictable sometimes," Vondi purred. 
"Is that how you feel about Antrew?" 
Vondi shrugged. "He's a means to an end ... once I became his wife ... the new chancellor's wife, he'd simply be ..." 
She stopped. "Nice try, but I don’t have much time," she said, bringing the phaser to bear. 
"Hold it!" yelled a familiar voice. 
Thank the gods ... Tom Paris! This startled Vondi, and as she turned to shoot at the intruder, Kathryn saw her chance. She grabbed a chair and heaved it, knocking Vondi down. 
"Good job, Captain; come on," Paris said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her out the door. As she crossed the room, she saw another man ... totally unfamiliar, grappling with Vondi for the phaser. 
"Who?" "A friend," Paris said, pulling her along. 
"They'd almost made it, when she heard the snap ... and felt the energy surge sear into her back. She fell to her knees, trying not to scream; "No ... gods no!" 
She was unconscious when Paris dragged her out the door. He slapped the comm badge. "Emergency beam out ... directly to sickbay." 
### 
Chakotay hadn't waited for Paris' anguished transmission to finish; he ordered the ship taken out of orbit once everyone was aboard, then headed to sickbay. 
He got there in time to see the doctor and Kalban working over Kathryn. "Commander, " the doctor said crisply. "We're going to have to deliver." 
It didn't quite register. "The Captain?" 
"She needs surgery," Kalban replied kindly. "But her injuries don't look life-threatening." 
"The doctor nodded to Paris, who, began punching the transport console. A moment later, a tiny form appeared in the incubator. 
His son. 
The sight wasn't encouraging. The baby was still; eyes tightly closed; his skin tinged with blue. He wasn't breathing. The doctor was there in an instant; attaching a cortical stimulator as Tom waved a tricorder over the unresponsive form. 
One jolt, then another; and his son came to life. Or struggled to come to life; his tiny limbs flailed; his chest heaved, then stopped. Another jolt, and the tiny body jerked again. 
"He was injured by the phaser blast," the doctor murmured. "I can repair most of the injuries, but..." He looked at Chakotay now. "There's some damage to his lungs. Some of it I can repair, but not all of it. All I can do is pump surficant in and hope he is strong enough for the damage to repair itself." 
Chakotay nodded numbly ... the reality just starting to sink in. Kathryn may live; but their son may not. 
He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Daven. 
"There's not much you can do here ... come on," he said gently. 
"Where's the woman?" Paris asked. 
"Dead," came the simple reply. 
### 
Kathryn struggled her way through the gauze that seemed to be covering her brain. Where was she? The baby? 
"Easy," Chakotay's voice rumbled in her ear. "Don't sit up yet." She was back, thank God... but... "The baby?' 
"He's holding his own, love," he said quietly, the tears welling. 
His explanation was brief, and heartbreaking. She squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the fear and the guilt. "I'm so sorry ... it's my fault." she finally managed to whisper. 
"No, it's not. You were taken; we were duped." 
"It was Antrew," she said, the steel coming back into her voice. "We suspected as much," he whispered. "I'm just thankful you're OK. Now, rest." 
She tried to protest, to tell him she needed to see her baby. But the gauze closed in once more .... 
### 
Later ... hours or days, she wasn't sure ... she stood over the incubator, memorizing the tiny bundle inside, and aching to hold him. 
Ironic. Outside of the cortical monitors and other medical devices, he looked perfect. In some ways, he looked like Paka; same carmel skin and dark hair. But she could see the echo of her own facial features, and maybe, a trace of her mother's eyes. 
The baby suddenly opened his eyes, startling her. But he didn't fuss, just looked at her; his eyes were dark blue, sure to become brown. "Hey there," she crooned, unsure what he could hear. "I think you're going to look more like a Janeway." 
He continued to gaze at her calmly ... and she had to smile. She'd seen that gaze before ... from Chakotay. 
"But I think you're going to be more like your father, aren't you?" 
He closed his eyes; and she swore she saw the beginning of a smile. Probably wistful thinking, she mused. 
She was getting tired now ... she'd been up too long. Later, when Chakotay arrived, he found her asleep, her head resting on the incubator. 
### 


"Commander, I cannot see the logic of your piloting Daven back to his homeworld." 
Chakotay tried to keep his irritation in check, without success "Tuvok, I thought we agreed that we would not send Voyager back to the planet." 
"That is not the point, Commander. I am concerned for your personal safety." 
Was that a trace of worry on the Vulcan's face? The past few days had been hard for him, too, Chakotay realized, considering that the entire weight of command had been dumped on him. And that Kathryn was his oldest friend on the ship. 
"It's a .. matter of honor ... of repaying Daven," he replied, more softly now. "I'll take care." 
Daven was waiting as he walked into the shuttle bay. 
"Have the supplies you need?" he asked. 
Daven nodded grimly. "And I have the information you asked for." 
### 
M'Baath jumped as the transporter beam filled the living room. Her surprise quickly turned to concern as she recognized the dark figure now huddled on the floor. 
"Gods! Commander!" 
Chakotay's eyes were slightly glazed with pain, caused, no doubt by the gash in his shoulder. 
"Is Kalban here?" he gasped. She shook her head. "He's in sickbay, where you should be." 
He shook his head. "Too many questions .. " 
"What happened?' 
"Things didn't go according to plan," he said. His eyes were cold; he'd rather bleed to death than tell, it seemed. 
She reached for his shoulder. "Let me take a look. I've learned a few things as a healer's wife." 
She grabbed the med kit that Kalban kept in the bathroom, then set to work. The wound, while deep, hadn't affected anything vital, the tricorder showed. As she used the dermal regenerator, his breathing slowed, and his body began to relax. 
"Thank you," he breathed, as she finished. 
He was still a mess; blood caked his sweater, darkening it even more. "You should clean up," she said, nodding toward the bathroom. "I can replicate another sweater." 
"A uniform, please," he said, almost to himself, as he left the room. She threw the bloody clothing into the recycler, and left the freshly replicated uniform on her bed. 
When he came out, he looked almost like himself. "I can't begin to repay you," he said, kneeling in front of her. "But I have to ask..." 
She understood. Whatever had happened, she would keep his secret. She owed him that much. 
She nodded. "You just came by to ask about Paka ..." 
His reply was cut short by the doctor's hail, and she watched as the storm cloud returned. 
"Ah, Commander, you're back!" Was it her imagination, or did his tone seem lighter? "Your son is well enough to leave the incubator now .... the captain was hoping you could come down and get acquainted." 
Chakotay winced as he jumped up, though M'baath doubted that he noticed... or cared. 
### 


"You know, we really need to name him," Chakotay said as he stroked the baby's dark mop of hair. 
Kathryn nodded as she shifted the sleeping infant in her arms. "If I'd known we were going to have two sons, I might have saved one of our father's names." 
"I suppose you have another relative in mind? Henry, perhaps?" 
"Not him. Too stubborn," she laughed. "Though I was thinking of O'Donnell as a middle name." 
"Oh? Have you forgiven her for not living up to your expectations ... or are you planning on transferring them to this child?" 
Kathryn threw him a dirty look, then turned thoughtful. "Actually, I was thinking of Thomas ... hold on," she said, cutting off Chakotay's beginning protest.. "If it wasn't for Tom, neither of us would be here." 
Chakotay sighed ... no arguing with her when she'd made up her mind. "Aren't you afraid we'll have too many, with Tom and young Tommy Paris?" 
She shook her head. "He'll be Thomas." She gave him a lopsided smile. "Thomas Chakotay." 
### 
Chakotay leaned back in the desk chair, cradling Thomas against his chest. Kathryn had taken Paka to the holodeck, giving him a chance to get acquainted with his new son. 
His quiet moment, however, was interrupted by a hail from the bridge. "Incoming message from Vontax sir," the ensign said. 
What the hell? "Put it through here." 
The screen revealed Daven's slightly grainy image. 
"I wanted to make sure you're all right," he said. 
Chakotay smiled."I'm ... we're both fine." 
Daven noticed the small bundle and smiled broadly. "He's well, then? I'm glad." 
"Are you taking me up on the offer to come with us?" Chakotay asked. 
Daven shook his head. "No, but I have good news. My wife is with child again." 
"Congratulations, that's wonderful news." 
"There's more. The chancellor has resigned, spurred by the untimely death of Prelate Antrew." 
Chakotay's face didn't change expression. "That's too bad." 
"Some may not think so," Daven replied. "My people may have a chance now." 
"I'm. just sorry it had to happen that way." 
Daven smiled. "Maybe that's because you're the man you are." He shook his head. "Safe journey, Chakotay ... take care of your sons." 
"Always. And you take care of your family." 


The transmission ended, and Chakotay quietly regarded his son for a moment. 
"I don't know what you'll face in your life," he whispered in the boy's ear, "but Thomas, I hope you'll be a better man than your father." 

-fin-
      
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