By Maquis
Leader
Rated PG
Time: During the end of Deadlock
Kathryn Janeway stood on the bridge of her ship waiting to
die. After all the close calls, the
‘I’ll blow this ship up’ threats – this
was it. The Vidiians were
boarding Voyager on several decks and she had no other way to stop them from
harvesting her crew’s organs. Not
with my organs, if I can’t have them, neither can you. The ship would self-destruct in mere
minutes. And this time she meant it.
Chakotay looked up from the console between their command
chairs. “We’re getting casualty
reports.”
Who had time to do casualty reports? For that matter, who had time to read
them? “Busy work, Commander?”
A slight smile softened his face. “Beats watching the clock.”
He turned serious once again.
“Tom.”
“Tom? Oh… Does B'Elanna – “ The budding romance between the
two was over before it started.
“They still have a chance, Kathryn. On the other Voyager.”
Of course. She’d
forgotten the other ship. By their
dying, the other ship would get back their half of the warp core enabling them
to survive. “That’s the best thing I’ve
heard all day.” That and the chance
to take the Vidiians with us.
Ironic when just fifteen minutes earlier it seemed the other Voyager
would be the one to make the sacrifice to save them.
“Harry and the baby made it through.”
“Good. She deserves
a chance to grow up, Chakotay.”
“So does Harry.”
Chakotay stood and walked to the edge of the command deck to look at the
main view screen. The urge to grab her
up into his arms was almost overwhelming.
The last minutes of his life were ticking away, yet he still wasn’t
able to hold the woman he loved. The
warp core exploding would kill his body; if she rejected him it would kill his
soul. Hopefully in the afterlife he’d
get that first taste of her lips. The
Spirit Horse was close; he could almost see it galloping across the stars.
Looking at his taut back, Kathryn made a decision. To hell with protocol. She was going to kiss her first officer
before she died. She only wished she
had enough time to fuck his brains out.
Right here on the bridge and to hell with what anyone thought. There were only two steps between them, then
her arms slid around his waist. “I love
you.”
He leaned back into her embrace. “Kathryn, your timing leaves a lot to be desired.” A huge sigh came from deep inside of him.
Eyes stinging, she stepped back. She’d misread his feelings after all, seeing love where only
friendship existed.
Turning, he caught her and pulled her into his arms. “I love you, too.” Dipping his head, he took her mouth hungrily, his tongue forcing
it’s way past her teeth and into her mouth.
His hands molded her against him, his arousal hot and hard against her
belly.
Gasping for air when he finally raised his head, she looked
into the black velvet eyes. The love
shining there made her regret ever hearing the word ‘protocol’. “Guess yesterday would have been better,
huh?”
“Too bad I can’t collect on Tom’s betting pool.” His eyes drifted shut as her fingers traced
his tattoo for the first time. And the
last time.
“The Vidiians are in the lift, they’re almost to the
bridge.” A voice called to them.
One last lingering kiss, and they moved to their command
chairs, their hands clasped between them.
The lift doors snapped open the Vidiians bursting out onto
the bridge. Captain Kathryn Janeway
rose regally from her chair greeting them with a cool charming grace that would
have made the Federation President green with envy.
Chakotay couldn’t hear her words for the drumming in his
ears. His heartbeat or the hoofbeats of
the Spirit Horse? Leaning over the
console, he ordered it to send the images from their bridge logs to the other
Voyager. Rising to be at her side as
always, his hand drifted toward the small of her back for one last touch….
On the other Voyager, Kathryn Janeway watched as the
view screen dissolved into a burst of static.
Voyager shook and rattled, groaning as she became whole once again. Crewmembers were running to their
stations. All around lights grew
brighter with the increased power.
Thrumming under her feet was the reassuring heartbeat of the warp core.
Turning, she bumped against Chakotay. His hands went to her shoulders to steady
her. In his eyes was a longing that
wrenched at her heart. They’d seen
themselves admit their feelings when it was too late. This was a second chance. I love you. The words were on her tongue, she drew
breath to speak. A body slammed into
her knocking her back out of his hands.
“Captain! We need a
decision here!” B'Elanna shouted from
her engineering station.
Command wrapped itself back around her and the words died
unspoken. Her mask dropped into place once again Captain Janeway ruthlessly
shoving Kathryn into a dark closet and locking the door.
Captain Kathryn Janeway strode away with her spine ramrod
straight issuing orders with a cool grace and a military bearing that would
have made the Admiralty proud.
Chakotay couldn’t hear her words for the drumming in his
ears. His heartbeat or the death throes
of their love? Leaning over the
workstation, he ordered it to save the images from the other Voyager onto a
data chip. Rising to be at her side as
always, his hand drifted toward the small of her back for one last touch…
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