KF's Notes: A beautiful co-pro. CoriMariee asked for a baby-fic sequel to my fic titled Rejection. Since KJ is pregnant with twins in Rejection, this fic falls into line perfectly as the sequel. I consulted my dear friend Cheile who told me about Kerok Nor and who is my expert on all things Bajoran, Cardassian and DS9. She lent the Bajoran characters, the Cardassian characters, information for DS9 and wrote in the details in between. Oh, and we are ignoring the DS9 post-series novels, just so you know.
Che's notes: KF asks for help and she shall receive. ;) She wanted something dangerous and interesting to happen--and the Cardassians are always the perfect excuse. At least in my book! Plot suggestions snowballed into a co-writing project the likes of which I haven't done in years. Plus, it's a prime excuse to mix in a little of my second Trek love, DS9, in with Voyager.
Other notes: Credit for the play-by-email RPG Kerok Nor and all things related to its canon goes to drdbear alias GT, creator of the late Kerok Nor play-by-email RPG and its universe. However, Colonel Reanla Kaelinn, Lieutenants Rash'iel Quinn and Kitanal Kestrae and Lieutenant Commander Zarianne (Devante) Kegan are Cheile's property, created originally for the Kerok-verse and the USS Dauntless play-by-email RPG, respectively.
Prologue: Late 2378
He held the image in his hands. He had framed it and placed it on his desk when she had disappeared during her
last mission. The damned Maquis. It was their fault she had disappeared. If the Order had disposed of them as they had
originally intended, she would have still been here, still been alive.
The news had come to him by way of a contact on Earth. She was dead. Her cover had been blown and, in an attempt to take the ship with her new allies, she had been killed. Somewhere out there, seventy thousand light years away, her son grew under the tutelage of a foreign species without a clue as to his true heritage.
His anger boiled in his veins as he heard the newscast in the background. He turned sharply on the display and looked into the vibrant blue eyes of his enemy. The newest heroine of the Federation. He paused the image and stared hard at the lithe human female with auburn hair as she was escorted towards waiting press and families by a dark skinned Vulcan and a tan human male he recognized.
Chakotay.
The Maquis Captain whose ship was reported to have been lost in the Badlands--only to reappear in the Delta Quadrant shortly before Voyager. All Cardassian intelligence ever found in the Badlands were plasma storms. They had spent countless hours searching for a wormhole to determine the possibility of expansion and the advantage of establishing a military presence in other unknown sectors in space.
He wanted his blood. His source had told him she had given birth to his child after being raped while under his command. The vile, disgusting Maquis bastard. And instead of bringing the child back with them, he left him in the care of strangers. More proof that humans did not care about their offspring.
He looked at the picture again. She had died in the skin of a Bajoran slut. She had been such a beautiful woman until the Order had transformed her. All in the name of Cardassia. Her life had been planned for her from the time she was a small child. They had begun their schooling as toddlers and she had excelled. He had lived in the shadow of her and had been taught to be proud of her accomplishments. But she had made a fatal error. She had gotten herself caught.
Nonetheless, he would avenge her. He was going to see the color of the insides of the man called Chakotay and, while he was at it, perhaps he would deprive the Federation of their newest heroine....
**
Present Day: 2379
“So, how are the plans for the retirement party coming along?”
Kathryn smiled as she laid a hand on her beach-ball belly. She couldn’t believe she was already seven months along. The twins were growing every day and becoming more restless. The Doctor had told her that under his care, she was assured a full term pregnancy. He wanted the twins to be healthy and strong when they were born.
“Wonderful, Jean-Luc. I can thank Owen’s son and daughter-in-law. They are taking the lead on the party planning. They wanted to host it in Voyager’s mess hall, but the guest list grew too long. They finally decided on the ball room,” she told him as she shifted in her chair. It had become increasingly uncomfortable to sit for any length of time or to stand for that matter. But, she hadn’t grown bitter over the maladies of pregnancy. She thrived and reveled in every little change and detail. “How long is your leave?”
“I am on holiday in France for the next three months while the Enterprise is undergoing repairs. I have yet to select a new Number One, but there are several promising candidates for me to review and interview while I am on leave,” Picard replied as he took a sip from the wine glass that had been sitting on the table next to him. “I am looking hard at Lieutenant Commander Ayala.”
“Mike is a good man and very sturdy. I would give my full recommendation for him,” Kathryn replied as she gave in and stood. She walked to her replicator and ordered up a cup of decaffeinated coffee. It wasn’t the same as the potent stuff but she needed the taste of her vice to keep her content. She, Chakotay, and the Doctor had reached the compromise of decaf, though she suspected they had conspired against her.
“My, my, Janeway. You are looking very maternal.”
Kathryn blushed as she realized she was standing parallel to the monitor. “I’ve gained another two kilos since I last saw you at the ball, and the twins gained a couple more ounces. The Doctor assures me everything I gain from here on out will be just baby weight, but I don’t believe him. I’m as big as a house!”
“And a beautiful one at that!” Jean-Luc joked with her. “Chakotay is a lucky man.”
Kathryn laughed and flipped her hand at him. “Lucky indeed. I don’t know how he has survived this last month of my hormonal mood swings.”
“Well, he did survive seven years in the Delta Quadrant with you.”
Kathryn shrugged as she returned to her chair. “True enough. Well, I hate to cut this short, but I have a meeting this afternoon with Owen. If you aren’t otherwise detained, will I be seeing you and Beverly at the party?”
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Jean-Luc replied.
Kathryn nearly made a comment about his confirmation of the suspicion that Beverly was on holiday with him, but kept it to herself. “Very good. Janeway out,” she said, then closed the comm channel. She sipped at her coffee as she reviewed the details of her shopping list. She was certain between the baby shower and her and Chakotay’s careful preparation, they had almost everything they were going to need. They had decorated it in pink and blue with the furniture done in cherrywood. Two little cribs sat side by side and there were twin changing tables adjacent to them. Tiny garments lay folded in twin dressers waiting to be worn. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of the pretty little room that already smelled of baby powder and lotion. Luck had smiled down upon them. And to think, only a few months previous, she had been worried about not having someone to share the twins with.
Kathryn glanced up at her chronometer and pushed herself to her feet. Speaking of her husband, she had intended to meet him on the Academy grounds when his class broke for lunch. She knew if she was ever going to make it in time, she had to get moving. She drained the mug as she made her way to the door of her office.
“Going out, Admiral?”
“Yes, Sam. I am going to meet Chakotay on campus for lunch. Would you like me to pick you up anything?” Kathryn asked as she waddled towards the lift.
“A chicken club sandwich from Chez Neelix would be divine.”
Kathryn smirked. Sam knew her too well. Her lovely aide knew if they were meeting on campus, they would be going to the restaurant opened and operated by Chell in honor of Neelix. They served authentic Delta Quadrant cuisine as well as recipe favorites of the former crew of Voyager. “Will do. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
Samantha smiled as she watched Kathryn step into the lift. She was so very happy for her former Captain and Commander and their impending parenthood. They would never know the joys of having children until they had their own. There were some days when she believed the only reason she stayed sane in the Delta Quadrant was because of Naomi and the friends she had made. Since they had returned, she and Naomi had become close with Joe Carey’s widow and her sons. It had been a good relationship for all of them.
Samantha laid a hand on her stomach and wondered what she was going to look like herself in a few months. She and Greskrendtregk had decided to try for another child to give Naomi a sibling and had succeeded. She was about two months along and the Doctor had told her she was having a son this time. Greskrendtregk was thrilled at having a son to carry on his family lineage. Samantha knew how excited Naomi was at the prospect of being a mother’s assistant to the Admiral and her twins so Sam had convinced Greskrendtregk not to share their own good news until after the Admiral and Chakotay’s twins were born.
**
“Kathryn! What are you doing here?” Chakotay asked as he swept his heavily pregnant wife into his arms. He
settled his lips against hers for a moment before pulling back to admire her. She positively glowed with maternal
radiance and seemed to illuminate everything around her. He brushed a strand of her shimmering auburn hair from her
cheek and gazed deeply into her star-lit blue eyes.
A little breathless, she offered him a bright smile. “I thought I would come have lunch with you,” she told him. “I have a meeting with Admiral Paris later this afternoon, too.”
“Chez Neelix?”
“Yes, I told Sam I would pick her up a sandwich. And I’m not sure about the meeting, but it’s probably about my upcoming retirement.”
Chakotay laced his fingers with hers as they headed towards their favorite restaurant. He couldn’t help the overwhelming feeling of joy that mounted up inside of him every time he was with her. And to think, he had nearly thrown it all away on someone whose child-like emotions couldn’t hold a candle to his seven year love for Kathryn Janeway.
“Admiral, Commander! Please come in, come in!” Chell gushed in his excited Bolian manner. “I have not seen you in nearly a week! Where have you been hiding yourself? We just added a couple of new dishes to the menu and they are just divine!”
Kathryn couldn’t help but grin. Chell, in many ways, reminded her of Neelix. His bouncy and upbeat attitude always made her smile. She wondered how Neelix was faring with his new family still in the Delta Quadrant. She had been so wrapped up in the events over the past year she hadn’t spoke to him at all. She had convinced Starfleet to keep the Pathfinder project operational so the former crew could communicate with their distant friend.
They were ushered to a table where Chell took their order and the take out order for Samantha, then skipped off towards the kitchen to personally prepare the food.
“How are you feeling?”
“Pregnant.”
“Seriously, Kathryn.” Chakotay thought sometimes he may be a little over protective and a little too concerned about her condition, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t feel her aches and pains and it was little comfort to her for him to listen to her talk about them, but it still made him feel a little more in the loop.
“Seriously? My legs ache, my back feels like it is fighting to keep the top half of me up right and I feel like I am carrying around a two hundred kilo beach ball in front of me. I think my ribs are bruised inside and out because your son and daughter are running laps in there and I am the course. Should I continue?” she offered him up the infamous Janeway stare. “In all truth, I love every moment of it and am relishing it. This may be the only time I ever get to experience pregnancy and am getting it full force two fold.”
“I love you, Kathryn Janeway.” It was the only response that would spill out of his mouth at that moment. All she suffered with--all she did in the name of giving him not just one, but two beautiful, healthy babies. His heart swelled within. He was starting to have pre-father jitters at times, but he knew with her by his side, they could do anything. They already had. They’d brought Voyager and her crew home.
**
"Tinalo!" Raduen Aredat clapped his hands upon hearing his aide's voice. "Come in already! Don't lurk in
the doorway! I have wonderful news!"
Tinalo Lasair stepped further in as he was bid, trying not to fidget. Raduen's exuberance was sometimes a little too much for his tastes. But he had a difficult job--trying to force the Federation and Cardassia to get along again, not to mention for Cardassia to finally acknowledge the debt they owed to Bajor--was a feat worthy of the human hero Hercules. So he supposed that the overexcited attitude Raduen displayed now and then was an outlet for the frustration he no doubt had laid upon him in heaps--and was, therefore, excusable.
Tinalo's bright blue eyes fastened on Raduen's dark ones. "You asked me to see me, sir?"
"Yes! We--Colonel Reanla and I, that is--just spoke with Gul Derrak via subspace a few hours ago. The plans were approved." Raduen handed Tinalo a padd. "We'll be heading to Cardassia Prime in four days. It will be you and I, Colonel Reanla has chosen two militia officers as our guard, and the Assembly is sending a liaison as well. Plus, Gul Derrak has asked for a Federation diplomat as well...."
Tinalo skimmed the data padd Raduen had passed across the desk to him and his sharp eyes settled on a name that drew his attention, a name that had gnawed at the back of his brain for the past year. Finally, he was going to achieve his greatest wish. His long awaited opportunity was about to present itself and he intended to take full advantage. He fully tuned Raduen out as he began to piece together his plan. He had to be precise and employ all of the finesse he was capable of. If he planned it right, the other party would follow right into his grasp.
“Isn’t that wonderful?” Raduen asked as he finished outlining their upcoming trip.
“Yes, sir.”
“We will rendezvous at Deep Space Nine in just two days! Please make the necessary arrangements for the transport.”
“Yes, sir.” Tinalo turned on his heel to leave the office. He had his own agenda to attend to and he didn’t have much time to finalize his plans.
**
“Admiral, come in.”
Kathryn straightened her body and ordered herself not to fidget, despite the fact that her uniform was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as her pregnancy advanced. She longed for the comfort of her leggings and empress cut tunics. “It’s good to see you, Admiral Paris.”
“Katie, have a seat, please.”
She was beginning to get the impression that she had not been called to his office for a friendly conversation about her impending retirement and motherhood. He seemed detached and distant and concern had etched itself into his brow. She allowed herself a little smile as she caught sight of a picture of little Miral on his desk. She remembered how she had sat in this very office nearly twenty years prior staring at a picture of young Tom Paris, while wondering at the family man side of Owen Paris.
“I want you to know I did everything in my power to convince them to give this mission to someone else,” he began.
“What are you talking about, Owen?” She began to worry about what was about to come out of his mouth next. She felt a sense of foreboding.
“It looks like Starfleet wants to utilize you one final time before your retirement,” Owen stood from his desk and headed over to the window that looked out over the bay. “The Cardassians have made an appeal for negotiations to enter a trade and commerce agreement. They have requested representatives from both Bajor and the Federation to negotiate their re-integration back into the Alpha Quadrant society.”
“What does this have to do with me?” They wouldn’t. They wouldn’t send her on that kind of mission now, not with her being seven months pregnant with twins!
Owen grew very quiet as she waited. “Your transport leaves tomorrow, Katie. You are to rendezvous with the Bajoran delegation at Deep Space Nine.” He turned and handed her the mission details on a padd.
“Why did they want me?”
“Because of the remarkable negotiation and diplomatic skills your logs showed from your mission in the Delta Quadrant. And besides, Katie, after dealing with the Borg the Cardassians should be as mild as puppies.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good luck, Katie, and hurry yourself back here. Your mother will never forgive us if those babies are born on some starship. She told me herself.”
Kathryn smiled, despite the sour tone her mood had taken. She was already trying to play out the conversation she knew she would be having with her husband that evening. “Aye, sir.”
“Dismissed, Katie.”
Kathryn rose and waddled out of his office. She wanted to cry but she wouldn’t let herself. She was a Starfleet Admiral and she would not cry. She would not break down. The tears began to sting her eyes but she scrubbed them away. She was afraid of this mission and she was afraid of telling her husband.
Kathryn entered her office like a zombie. She was holding the padd detailing her mission and the terms the
Federation was willing to meet to allow Cardassia to be reintegrated into Alpha Quadrant society. She hadn’t even skimmed
it yet. She was numb from the decision her superiors had come to without concern over her personal condition.
“I am probably the only physician in this quadrant who still makes house calls.”
Kathryn looked up to find the Doctor sitting in the lobby with Sam and Naomi. She ignored the Doctor for a moment in favor of the little auburn haired girl with the petite spikes on her forehead. Her face broke into a grin as she wobbled on her knees and finally settled onto them in front of Naomi.
“Aunt Kathryn!” she cried out as she wrapped her into a hug. Her little hands automatically went to Kathryn’s belly. “Hello, babies. It’s Auntie Naomi.” She smiled brightly when she received two solid kicks. “I think they know my voice.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. It must be from all of those stories you have been telling them,” Kathryn suggested as she used the edge of the desk to haul herself to her feet. Every time Naomi came to stay with her and Chakotay, she insisted on telling the babies stories from their adventures in the Alpha Quadrant to Flotter to little stories she made up.
“Miss Wildman, would you mind if I examine my patients now?” the Doctor asked impatiently.
“Of course, Doctor,” Naomi threw a wink to Kathryn as she returned to her mother’s lap at her desk.
The Doctor gestured towards the Admiral’s office and she led the way. “This is the third appointment you missed, Admiral.”
Kathryn offered him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Doctor. I am just lucky I have the best physician in the quadrant.” She knew that appealing to his ego went a long way towards placating him.
“Hmm,” he mumbled as he whipped open his medical tricorder and scanned her. “Well, Admiral, I am happy to report that you have two very healthy babies who will make their arrival in about two months. With my continued care, you should have a normal delivery and you should carry to full term.”
“Doctor, I am going to be making a trip to Cardassia....”
“What in the universe would you want to do that for?” he interrupted. “A woman in your condition should not be traveling that far from home.”
“It cannot be helped, Doctor. I need to know if there are any extra precautions I should take on this journey?” she asked.
The Doctor gave her his best un-amused and disapproving look. “Continue the prenatal hyposprays and I want you off your feet as much as possible. I do not want you delivering anywhere but at Starfleet Medical, do you understand me, Admiral?”
Janeway stifled a snicker. “Aye, Doctor,” she replied with a mock salute.
The Doctor nodded stiffly, then closed up his tricorder and holstered it in his belt. “You are in perfect health, Admiral. Good luck on your mission and I will see you soon.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” She watched as he exited and plopped down in her chair behind her desk. She had jumped the small hurdle--now came the gigantic one. She looked at the chronometer. Only two hours before she was due to head home, and she was already wondering if she was ready to face the fight she knew would be waiting there for her.
Kathryn found herself staring at the ceiling as she lay awake. She still hadn’t told Chakotay about her mission
and she knew she had to. She was due to leave on the transport for Deep Space Nine tomorrow. She just didn’t know how to
approach the subject gently. She sighed. She just had to tell him.
“Chakotay, Starfleet has given me my final mission as Admiral.”
Chakotay rolled over on his side and propped himself up on his elbow. “Oh? What’s that, Kathryn?”
Kathryn inhaled. This was it. “I have been ordered to rendezvous with Bajoran delegates on Deep Space Nine--for a diplomacy mission to Cardassia.” She held her breath as she watched his eyes go wide with shock.
“Absolutely not! Kathryn, there is no way you are going on that mission!” he snapped as he sat up next to her.
“Chakotay, I leave tomorrow."
“No. I will now allow it. You have to resign now.”
Kathryn felt the fury grow inside of her. “No.”
Chakotay’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”
“I will not resign, Chakotay. This is my last mission and I am going to complete it!” she fired back. She was pissed now. How dare he tell her what she was to do with her career!
“You are not going to Cardassia, Kathryn! Have you forgotten that those are my children you are carrying inside of you? How dare you put them in danger due to a Starfleet mission!” he fumed as he whipped the covers off and leapt up from the bed.
“This is my career, Chakotay!”
“And you agreed to retire!”
“I am retiring, damn it! What am I supposed to tell them? 'My husband doesn’t want me to, so I can’t do this?' When did we revert back to the eighteenth century?”
“Kathryn, don’t do this...please don’t do this,” he requested, trying to cool his temper.
“I am going to finish my career and then have our babies. Everything will be fine.”
Chakotay paced the room and tried to alleviate his fear and his anger. He did not want to fight with her. He hated fighting with her, but he did not want her doing this.
“Now you wonder why I didn’t want to get involved with you when we were on Voyager!” she raged on. He had her fired up and she was going to let him have it for trying to order her around. “You wouldn’t have allowed me to do anything!”
“That’s not true.”
“But it is! This proves it, Chakotay.”
“Damn you, Kathryn! Is it a fucking crime if I am concerned about my pregnant wife running off to Cardassia? There is still severe civil unrest and they tried their damnedest to wipe the Federation off the map! You don’t honestly believe this is safe, do you?”
“We will be perfectly fine. Cardassia wouldn’t risk a war with the Federation at this point; they are too weak,” she insisted as she rolled out of the bed and headed to the replicator for her decaffeinated vice.
Chakotay didn’t like it, but she had a point. If the Cardassians, in any way, made a threatening move towards Kathryn Janeway, the Federation would strike back with a force that would make the whole war look like a kick in the shin. He hadn’t felt fear grip his heart in this way since he had held her almost dead in his arms after their shuttle had crashed and that strange alien had invaded her mind, trying to convince her she was dead. But he didn’t want their last night together before this horrible mission to be an angry one. He wanted for her to go on this mission with his love in her heart, not his anger in her mind. He moved over to where she stood and put his hand on her back. She jerked away from him.
“Come on, Kathryn. I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
Kathryn kept her back turned to him as he tried to reach out and comfort her again. She felt the hot tears burn her cheeks. She bit her lip so she didn’t sob out loud. She felt his hands move up her back and over her shoulders. He pulled her against his body and buried his nose in her hair. She finally cut loose and sobbed. “I’m sorry, Chakotay. I am afraid.” She turned into his arms and he held her tightly, feeling their little miracles kick at him from within her. Chakotay felt like a heel. Of course she was afraid. She had to be absolutely terrified and he had lashed out at her in anger. He was afraid too. He was terrified of losing her and their babies before they had even begun. He nuzzled the top of her head as he held her and tried to calm her sobbing. “Don’t cry, Kathryn. I love you. I am so afraid of losing you and the twins.”
“I was once a Cardassian prisoner,” she confessed. She had never told him about that despite their closeness on Voyager. It was something she had held back because by telling him about that, she would have to tell him about listening to Owen screaming as he was tortured and about falling in love with Justin.
“When?”
“I was an Ensign on the Arias Expedition,” she replied as he led her back to bed. “They captured Owen and myself and I had to listen to them torture him.”
“That must have been terrible for you.” Chakotay pulled her into his arms as they settled back into bed.
“They kept me in the hole and it was so cold. I thought it was horrible when they strip-searched me, but that was nothing compared to the torture. They didn’t bother with my mind, they went right to the beatings.” Kathryn shivered, despite the warmth of his embrace. “They never put the implant in me, just some boots to the ribs and a couple of fists to the face. The worst part....was listening to Owen screaming and screaming. There were times when I thought that was the worst they could do to me. I would try to cover my ears and I tried to drown out his screams by screaming as loud as I could.” She buried her face against his chest. “It’s okay now. I am sure the detail accompanying me won’t let anything happen to us.”
Chakotay settled a kiss on her forehead and watched as she turned shining blue eyes upon him. He waited for her lips to come up to his. He set his lips against hers and felt the sensual stroke of her tongue across his lips. He opened his mouth and sucked her tongue in. He felt his arousal grow as he held her close in his arms.
Kathryn felt the residuals of her anger dissipate as he kissed her and as she felt the heat grow from her center. She wanted to forget their fight and leave with the feel of him within her and his kiss upon her lips. She rolled to her side away from him, the only position comfortable for them to make love at this point. She felt his hands exploring her ever-changing maternal body and then pull her flush against him. She smiled as his warmth filled her and his lips feathered over the back of her neck. Everything was going to be okay. She just had to keep telling herself that. Everything was going to be just fine.
But a cold whisper gnawed at the edge of her consciousness, promising sinister things she refused to acknowledge.