For the VAMB "Writing Extravaganza." The assignment was to rewrite or add-on to a non-J/C episode and make it J/C. I picked "Live Fast and Prosper."
Much thanks to elem for the insightful beta and the encouraging words and to Sue for giving this a home. This is my first fanfiction ever, so feedback is not only welcome, but needed!
DISCLAIMER: Paramount owns the characters. I seek no profit, just ardent daydreaming.
* * *Tom Paris’ annual costume party was a day away but Kathryn was too preoccupied to decide on an outfit. They were approaching the borders of Telsian space and she hoped a trade station would provide Voyager with much needed supplies. The last thing she wanted was an encounter with hostile aliens.
A phaser blast hit Voyager’s port side and Kathryn hailed the massive Telsian military ship that had appeared on the viewscreen.
An agitated Colonel Orek barely introduced himself before launching into a heated demand: “Voyager, you will surrender Captain Janeway and her lover, Commander Chakotay to the Telsian government. They are wanted for numerous crimes - including grand theft, larceny, and attempted murder.”
There was an unusually long pause in reply. The entire bridge was still processing the word “lover” from the lengthy tirade. Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged raised eyebrows.
The Captain stood, “Colonel, there must be a mistake –“
“You will be allowed separate counsel, should your require it –“
Chakotay moved to stand protectively by his Captain’s side, eyeing her for the proper cue:
“Colonel, we welcome you aboard Voyager and together I’m sure we can clear up this misunderstanding.”
With Orek’s curt nod, the viewscreen darkened. Paris turned in his seat, “ ‘Her lover’, Captain?”
* * *
If only it had been a practical joke, a gaseous anomaly, or a sentient nebula. But no, in the conference room, the command team was treated to surveillance footage of a “Captain Janeway” and “Commander Chakotay” raiding a dilithium mining colony on Telsius Prime, wielding compression phaser rifles. The footage was grainy, but the criminals could easily pass for the real deal.
At one point in the attack, the fake Janeway pulled her Chakotay in for a passionate kiss. Now they all knew where the “lover” reference had come from. It took everything for Harry not to react, but Tom couldn’t resist:
“They’re Bonnie and Clyde,” he pointed out dryly before explaining who the infamous 20th century bank robbing couple were, “Just replace the compression rifles with Tommy guns.”
Luckily, the fake Chakotay and Janeway had been injured in a knife fight with some brave miners. Their blood was found at the site and the Doctor was able to rule out the command team as the culprits by analyzing the DNA.
As providence would have it, the alien strands matched the genome of two recent visitors, the male and female clerics, Zar and Dala. Both had been treated to Doc’s latest offering – free physicals for Voyager’s guests – and their biological imprint had been left in his database. In return, they had secretly downloaded all of Voyager’s schematics, official and personal logs to use in their attempts to frame the Federation for the many crimes they would commit.
Orek agreed to finalize trade relations with the Telsian government in exchange for Zar and Dala’s capture by Voyager. Kathryn set a course in pursuit of the criminals’ last warp signature, but became restless in her ready room an hour later. Dala and Zar’s criminal PADD was tempting to look at despite the mountain of engineering reports she needed to attend to.
Exiting the ready room, she addressed her First Officer:
“Commander, you have the bridge,” and left for Holodeck 2, PADD in hand.
Once in the privacy of the turbo lift, Kathryn let the Captain’s mask fall. The shock and concern were finally readable. Dala and Zar had taken great pains to mimic Starfleet officers in their mannerisms, speech and wardrobe. With stolen minerals and latinum, the con artists were able to manufacture Federation weaponry and update their shuttlecraft to resemble the Delta Flyer in every way.
The surveillance PADD and criminal files were packed with heists that spanned the six months since leaving Voyager. Kathryn was determined to see the extent of the damage they had done and how they were able to fool others so well.
“Computer, download Dala/Zar files 1.01 to 23.4 into the holodeck database.”
“Download complete.”
“Computer, open Dala/Zar file 1.01 and activate.”
Kathryn entered Holodeck 2. The simulation was based on security reports in the file.
The first showed a negotiation with dignitaries. She watched as the infamous couple charmed their marks into trusting them. It was disturbing to see her doppelganger – graceful strides, a throaty chuckle here and there. Kathryn had never felt more self-conscious. Do I really look that wooden? I must stop standing with my hands on my hips. She’s so smarmy here. Is that how everyone sees me? There was the occasional well-placed palm on Zar’s chest and Dala’s rear was mere millimeters from her mate’s groin area as he stood, hands firmly clasped behind his back. It’s almost lascivious how close she is to him and with that tone of voice - my God, what have I been conveying?
The most unnerving performance however, was Zar’s impersonation of Chakotay. It wasn’t that his skin tone matched exactly, that his dimples were strategically placed, or that his hairline was precise down to the micrometer. A dermal regenerator could easily provide him with authenticity. No, throughout the entire exchange, the alien’s focus never strayed too long from his mate. Nevertheless, his peripheral vision was acute and nothing got by him. Zar deferred to Dala in an upright, worshipful manner that was eerily familiar and inarguably genuine. How could he? No personal log could give away that kind of knowing…
Kathryn skipped from file to file before landing on an attack scene. Here, Dala and Zar took cover in an abandoned tavern, dodging heavy fire from a bounty hunter ambush. Kathryn struggled to remain objective while observing the couple’s fighting styles, but became fixated on Zar’s version of Starfleet “casual”: a tight, red long-sleeved shirt with black leather pants and boots. Dala was outfitted in a red boat-necked mini-dress and black knee-length boots with fishnet tights.
A low wolf-whistle tickled Kathryn’s left ear and broke her gaze. She whirled around.
The real Chakotay smirked at the scene, “Not exactly standard issue - unless they were thinking 23rd century Starfleet.”
“Computer, freeze program.” The hoarse command came out weaker than she wanted it to.
“Sorry if I startled you, Captain, but there’s something you need to see.”
Good. Hopefully whatever her XO had was more pertinent to the crisis at hand.
* * *
Kathryn wasn’t alone in worrying about Dala and Zar’s portrayal of the command team. Within minutes of her departure, Chakotay handed over the bridge to Tuvok before entering his office to speak more with Orek’s security team on his private viewscreen. Normally this would be a task for the Chief of Security on Voyager, but considering the personal nature of the situation, Chakotay helmed this investigation himself.
Once the Telsian police focused on Dala and Zar, their databases showed a wealth of records spanning years of petty theft, con jobs and the like. Prior to the Voyager scam, their crimes were strictly small time. The alien couple changed identities more than a dozen times in three years before settling on playacting Janeway and Chakotay. The latter disguise worked in their favor on an unprecedented level. Before donning fake Starfleet uniforms, Dala and Zar worked as uninspired members of a notorious gang of raiders. Something about the Voyager command team had struck a chord with them. As a duo, they were stronger and harder to catch. They soon abandoned their old crew, set off in a version of the Delta Flyer, and in a six month period produced a golden goose of wealth and success.
According to various Telsian spy reports, they weren’t romantically involved until the Janeway/Chakotay scam was fully entrenched as their method of operation.
This last bit of information was the part that unnerved Chakotay most. The databases uploaded by the criminals included personal logs and he could assume that Dala and Zar had read every scrap of his and Kathryn’s innermost thoughts. Remembering some of his more intimate entries, Chakotay felt a simmering anger at the violation. The alien criminals could have chosen any members of the crew to imitate – B’Elanna and Tom, Neelix and Tuvok, for example. It wasn’t unheard of for the others to conduct trade negotiations without the command team. Why pick such high profile identities when a more subordinate crewmember would have kept them under the radar for longer?
“Computer, locate Captain Janeway.”
“Captain Janeway is in Holodeck 2.”
* * *
As Chakotay finished showing Kathryn the new data on Dala and Zar, they pondered the alien couple’s next move in the conference room with the senior staff.
“What do we know about their species?” Tom inquired.
“Raiding is a part of their culture, just as hunting is to the Hirogen, or bartering to the Ferengi,” Chakotay replied.
“And they’ve chosen us as their model,” Kathryn rubbed her temples in fatigue, “I should be flattered. Tuvok, what is the status of their ion trail?”
The Chief of Security frowned, “Their last known coordinates were passed a half hour ago. We are, as Lieutenant Paris would say, back at ‘square one.’”
“They must be going somewhere and we’re missing the clues,” She distractedly touched the cushion behind her First Officer’s head, realized something, and abruptly stopped herself.
Not noticing her unusual recoil, Chakotay was deep in thought. “There is something…”
“Well?”
“A Telsian espionage sect has detailed reports on Dala and Zar’s old crew. If we can find them, we might be able to locate our Bonnie and Clyde.”
“Do it. B’Elanna, how are we doing with the retrofitted warp coils?”
“They won’t last the week. We’re going to need new ones or an alternative solution.”
“Well Lieutenant, if we bring these con artists to Telsius Prime by week’s end, all your needs may be fulfilled.”
* * *
The next morning was relatively uneventful on the bridge. Tuvok took advantage of the lull and coordinated efforts with Telsian espionage and Seven of Nine to triangulate a probable location for the raiders’ base. By afternoon, spy probes had picked up the fake Delta Flyer’s warp signature in the same sector. Seven estimated that they would catch up with the criminal vessel in no less than two days.
Kathryn kept busy by helping B’Elanna in engineering. The primary reason was to pick each others scientific minds for a temporary alternative in fixing the warp coils, but a secondary reason seemed more apropos. Kathryn had spent the rest of the previous evening scouring every last raiding report in the Telsian security files. It disturbed her that she was less concerned with how Dala and Zar had mangled Voyager’s reputation and more concerned with how she had taken protocol with her First Officer for granted. It was the first time someone showed her what she was really doing. She imagined that if it was obvious to her, how it must look to anyone else. Thus, the busy time spent that day away from the bridge was to cover up for an uncharacteristic shyness towards Chakotay that Kathryn hadn’t felt before.
She had begun second guessing her behavior in the conference room – when she moved her hand away from Chakotay’s head cushion. How many times had she done that before? It was agonizing to know what she knew now. In ignorance, there truly was bliss. Now she could not bring herself to meet his eye, let alone continue in their camaraderie. And he would notice and ask her. Quietly, she cursed Dala for being an unwelcome interpreter.
“So Captain, what’s your costume for tonight? Or will it be a surprise?”
At the sound of the familiar, masculine voice, Kathryn bumped her head on the cabinet beneath a console she was examining. Looking up, her reaction was genuine. In all her preoccupation, she’d simply forgotten about Tom’s annual party.
“I forgot. You?” the half-smile was still working.
“I was inspired yesterday, so it’s a last minute decision.” His dimples had new meaning for her, but she temporarily quashed the feeling.
“Well, don’t tell me. I like surprises.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“Shouldn’t you be on the bridge?”
“Tuvok’s finished with Telsian authorities. He’s in charge. Both of us noticed you’ve skipped breakfast and lunch. I’m here to remedy that and take you to the mess hall.”
Kathryn eyed Seven at a nearby console.
“Actually, Seven let me borrow one of her nutritional replacement bars. So I’m fine. Thank you anyway.”
A glimmer of confusion flashed for a millisecond in Chakotay’s eyes, then disappeared.
“You’re always welcome. See you at the party, then?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
After the First Officer left engineering, Seven’s aural acuity made itself evident.
“Captain?”
“Hmm. Yes, Seven.”
“You have never, in my time on Voyager, asked for one of my nutritional replacement bars.”
“That’s right – could you hand me that hypospanner?”
“Is there a reason for your subterfuge with Commander Chakotay?”
“Don’t you ever skip a meal to be more…efficient?”
“Yes, but –“
“Well, there you go. And that’s the end of it, Seven.”
“Yes, Captain.”
* * *
Chakotay made his way to the turbo lift, intending to eat in the mess hall alone for the second time that day. He sensed something slightly off about Kathryn’s behavior. He noticed it first in the conference room the previous day. She recoiled from his chair and removed her hand as if it had been burned. He was puzzled more than hurt, but no one would have sensed that. After years as unofficial ship’s counselor, Chakotay was practiced in maintaining an unreadable exterior in any situation. Today, she had made a concerted effort to avoid the bridge. It was certainly true that B’Elanna needed her expertise in engineering while Seven was in Astrometrics with Tuvok, but Kathryn stayed far beyond her usual time.
And her lie just now. Beneath the measured façade, he sensed a timidity that concerned him. What was she hiding?
“Paris to Chakotay.”
“Chakotay here.”
“Sir, I’m having trouble with Holodeck 2. The preceding program is malfunctioning and I can’t download the party atmosphere for tonight.”
“Understood, I’ll be right there. Computer, Deck 6.”
Tom was at the hologrid console when he arrived.
“My access code doesn’t seem to have any effect.”
Chakotay pulled up the logs using his command codes. The last person to access the controls was Captain Janeway. A key synapse fired in his brain.
“Tom, why don’t you take a break and I’ll let you know when I’ve fixed it. Leave the PADD and I’ll download it for you.”
Tom gave him a slap on the shoulder,“Thanks, Commander.”
After Tom left, Chakotay used his override code to access Kathryn’s program. It was the Dala/Zar files as he expected. One by one, he began retracing her steps to see if anything she viewed was a factor in her changed behavior.
It took him twelve consecutive reports before he stumbled on something that explained why she placed restrictions on the program. He only watched for a few seconds before transferring the entire file to a data PADD. He erased any remaining copies in the database, downloaded Tom’s party atmosphere program and left for his quarters.
* * *
Kathryn wiped the fog from her mirror in the bathroom to take a good look at the bags under her eyes. She was emotionally and physically exhausted from the long, overworked day. A real shower with hot water only served to enervate her more. Dinner was spent in her quarters, over a half-picked roast, burnt on one side. She wanted to eat, but she kept remembering the countless dinners she’d had with her First Officer. The memories of sabotaged replicator meals seemed less funny.
After ordering up a carafe of coffee, she scanned the database for a suitable costume. She’d lied twice to Chakotay this afternoon. Seven’s nutritional bar was only the second lie. She had an idea for a costume, but she couldn’t bring herself to replicate it. Sure, her body wasn’t as taut as it used to be, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as she thought it was. And the Commander hadn’t viewed the entire contents of the Dala/Zar program, so he would see the choice as a private joke between them, nothing more.
“Computer, replicate red female Starfleet uniform, circa stardate -“ she squinted at the screen for the proper file, “ – 2266.”
As the garment shimmered into existence, Kathryn spoke to it conspiratorially, “Let’s get back to normal, shall we?”
* * *
An hour later, Captain Janeway in retro Starfleet togs – complete with impossibly high-heeled black boots and matching opaque tights (one had to draw the line at fishnets if comfort was of any consideration) – emerged bravely from her quarters into the corridor. No one was in sight; she purposefully timed her appearance an hour into the festivities, hoping that the hallways would be clear. If not, she was sure she’d lose her nerve.
“C-Captain?” It was the Doctor, dressed in full make-up as the tragic clown, Pagliacci. The two made quite an odd couple. Kathryn decided to lighten up.
“Yes, Doctor. Would you like an escort for the party? I’m here to oblige.”
“Well, in fact, I was about to come to you - ”
“Then your timing is impeccable.”
As they sauntered to the turbo lift, Kathryn imagined a bossanova tune from one of Tom’s Brazilian programs and swung her hips a little. The Doc opened his mouth, dying to comment on the obvious –
“Not one word, Doctor. That’s an order.”
They got in and the turbo lift doors closed.
* * *
As every year, the mood was a mixture of relief for an off-duty moment and gratitude that the crew were alive to enjoy it. Tom’s jukebox played tune after 20th century tune as food and drink flowed from Neelix’s well-maintained bar and catering table. The host and his “moll” B’Elanna wore companion Bonnie and Clyde outfits – a bit predictable considering the timing of recent events. Tom boasted that his miniature Tommy gun was made of licorice, which Neelix had first dibs on tasting when the party ended.
Taking advice from Mr. Paris, Seven of Nine researched 20th century blondes and stumbled upon a holovid of Marilyn Monroe from All About Eve. Dispassionate about the iconic blonde, she preferred Bette Davis, temporarily changed her hair color and entered the party as “Margo Channing.” B’Elanna smiled triumphantly at Tom, who seemed nonplussed. Seven couldn’t figure out why.
The room’s volume dropped slightly when the Captain entered. She realized at once how wise she had been in choosing the opaque black tights over the fishnets. Better to have the reception she got rather than complete and utter shocked silence. Of course Tom Paris cranked the volume of the room back up as he greeted her warmly.
“Lieutenant Uhura, I presume.”
The EMH chimed in perfectly, “You would be correct, Mr. Paris. Can you guess who I am?”
“Bozo the Clown?” Tom couldn’t resist. The Captain took a jab at him.
Just at that moment, Kathryn caught Chakotay’s eye. He stepped into full view and she got a good look at his costume. It was red, like hers. It was Starfleet, like hers. And it was probably from the same year, like hers. The shirt had the requisite gold band at the wrist and the black collar. She wasn’t used to seeing tight clothing on him, and it more that suited his physique. The only thing that wasn’t 2266 Starfleet issue was the black leather pants. That remained their private joke.
Tom caught the two smiling at each other, “I see you’ve already met Mr. Scott.”
Chakotay approached Kathryn and gently held out an arm, “Would you like a tour of Voyager’s airponics bay, Lieutenant?”
“Love to.”
* * *
Kathryn prayed that her autonomic nervous system could somehow control the too-loud thumping of her heartbeat. If it weren’t for Chakotay’s stride down the corridor, she was sure he’d be able to hear it. None of it made any sense for a grown woman, the Captain of a starship. Kathryn reminded herself that she was the only person who had seen the Dala/Zar program. It was foolish to think otherwise. This constant mantra was calming and soon her jitters dissipated.
“Are we really going to the airponics bay?”
“Of course. You don’t want to go?”
“No, I’m just wondering why the sudden interest in horticulture. I thought that was Tuvok territory.”
Chakotay grinned. She was okay.
“Actually, the first crop of Tyrean tuberoses is in bloom. Neelix informed me last week and I suddenly remembered. They’re a bit headier than roses, but the bay is such a large room, it might not be as overpowering.”
As they entered the bay, the warm, singing scent filled Kathryn’s senses. She spent moments looking at the pale blue flowers, touching their delicate spun-sugar like petals and breathed in. When she exhaled, recent feelings overcame her so suddenly that tears flooded forth as if an inner dam had burst. If it hadn’t been for Chakotay being so close by to take her arm, she was certain to twist an ankle from the teetering heels and fall.
“Kathryn. I viewed the program.”
He turned her body to face him and embraced her. She dropped a wet cheek to his chest, speechless with fear. She could only manage one question.
“H-How much?”
“Enough. I’m assuming the report that upsets you comes before the attack in the tavern?”
Kathryn nodded.
“I watched until they began to kiss. I downloaded it to a PADD at first, intending to keep it from prying eyes and not view the entire exchange. But back in my quarters, I realized I couldn’t understand fully what’s happening with you until I spent an evening doing exactly as you did.
“The spy who made that report did so covertly. You’re upset because you wanted their romance to be a fraud - as fraudulent as their makeshift Delta Flyer. But that report shows Dala and Zar were lovers in the truest sense. None of it was an act. Is that what’s bothering you so much, Kathryn?”
She wiped her face and stepped back. Chakotay offered up his sleeve and they both laughed as she used it to blot her eyes. His hand brushed the side of her cheek and she quickly became serious.
“The Captain in me would be bothered by that, yes. It would make them just as human as we are and perhaps more difficult to bring to justice, but that’s not what upsets the Kathryn in me.”
“Then what is it?”
“They believe we are lovers, too.”
Chakotay had guessed what her feelings might be, but it was the way she’d expressed them that rocked the foundations of their relationship.
*Captain and Commander Chakotay to the bridge!*
It was Tuvok. The ship suddenly tossed with the impact of phaser fire.
*Battlestations!*
Another, much stronger blast. Kathryn and Chakotay rushed off together. The time for preoccupation was over.
* * *
The battle was over before it had begun. It wasn’t that Seven’s calculations were wrong. They were meant to arrive at the fraudulent Delta Flyer’s coordinates in no less than two days, but an unforeseen enemy had chased them back towards Voyager. A Hirogen hunting party had received a subspace message about Dala and Zar’s exploits and determined they were “worthy prey.”
Using what knowledge they had gleaned from Voyager’s strategic database, Dala and Zar had made it far enough to hail the ship they had pretended to belong to for so long. It was a shock for both Dala and the Captain to see each other face-to-face for the first time. Despite fatal plasma burns on sixty percent of her body, Dala laughed at Janeway’s mini-skirted uniform – in the rush to the bridge, Kathryn hadn’t had time to change.
An emergency beam-in to sickbay commenced for the two critically wounded fugitives, while B’Elanna rerouted all power to the suffering engines, enabling Voyager to escape Hirogen-occupied space in high warp.
Dala and Zar clasped hands over parallel biobeds as their life signs began to fade. The Captain and her Commander arrived to hear their last words. The female criminal grasped Janeway’s hand as if they were old friends.
“The Great Captain Janeway…Somehow I expected you to be…taller.”
Kathryn’s eyes were shiny with fresh tears.
“You make a better me than me.”
As Dala shifted her gaze back to Zar, she softened. The injured male reached into his singed uniform, pulled out a datachip, and placed it in Chakotay’s hand.
“The coordinates will lead you to our cache…there are decryption codes…We’re…s-sorry.”
Dala shushed him and looked back at Kathryn.
“Thank you for…you don’t know….”
With that, they died.
Kathryn knew the authorities would debrief her upon arrival at Telsius Prime and the chip would be exchanged for everything Voyager needed. But that was not the first thought that came to mind. For a long moment, she let herself fully embrace the alien couple’s reason for living. Despite their methods, they had seen something in the command team that she and Chakotay had ignored for far too long.
As she accepted her First Officer’s hand in hers, Kathryn made a silent promise that their passing would not be in vain.