From ix.netcom.com!howland.erols.net!cam-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail Fri Apr 18 14:38:19 1997 Path: ix.netcom.com!howland.erols.net!cam-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail From: "Thompson" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: REPOST: Messiah [PG-13] (VOY) 0/9 Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 18:55:38 -0400 Organization: Compaq Lines: 229 Message-ID: <01bc49f0.22d20860$87c61ece@thompson.gnatnet.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup35.gnatnet.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1085 Okay, this is a good summary of the beginning of "The Q and the Grey", with parts deleted and changed where needed. Many thanks to James Wright who wrote the original review. He already said I could use it. Thanks Jim! Read this summary before going on to the real story. This is just will help you not be confused. Okay? Okay. Enjoy! And some of this is silly, not my doing, but it's okay. Yeah. By the way, standard disclaimer, Paramount owns this all, but guess what, I'm playing. Sforzie "Messiah" Primer Space...the peep show of the universe. In the silent vacuum of infinity, a star went supernova. Less than ten billion kilometers away, the crew of the Starship Voyager applauded enthusiastically. It was a banner event. Only two other Starship crews had witnessed supernovae live, and none as close as Voyager. Janeway wanted to get right to work, but Chakotay noticed her rubbing her neck and falling asleep in mid-sentence, and ordered her to bed. She left the bridge in the able and manly hands of her first officer (who didn't offer her a neck rub this time). Janeway returned to her quarters. But they sure didn't look like her quarters. They looked like the Motel 6 Honeymoon Suite. Soft Muzak, red roses, lit candles surrounded a bed of red satin sheets with two heart-shaped pillows, dimmed lights, windows unshaded to reveal the stars, ten-credit champagne, the telltale scent of Brut. "Janeway to bridge, intruder alert!" she called into her commbadge. "There's no need to call room service, Kathy. I've already ordered." A familiar figure stepped from the shadow of the anteroom. "Oh, Q!" she whispered hoarsely. She buried her face in her hands. She repeated the Intruder Alert order. "I've taken the proverbial phone off the hook. After all...we don't want any interruptions." They stood on opposite sides of the bed. He had on his best puppy-dog face. "What are you doing here?" Q raised a toast. "To us." "There is no us, Q," Janeway snarled. "The night is young, and the sheets are satin," he purred. "I want you out, but first get rid of this bed." "I have no intention of getting between those Starfleet-issue sheets. They give me a terrible rash." He pouted the response. "Since you won't be getting in the bed, I wouldn't worry about it." "Oh, Kathy, don't be such a prude! Admit it! It has been a while..." "And it's going to be a while longer. Now get out!" "So tense! Why don't you slip into something more comfortable." There was a flash of light, and Janeway's Starfleet uniform was replaced by her pink satin nightgown. Janeway looked down at herself in a mixture of shock and disgust. "If you think that this puerile attempt at seduction is going to work, you're even more self-deluded than I thought!" She turned her back on him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into an off-balance Tango dip. She looked up at him, he down to her, their eyes locking in mortal combat. "Oh, I see; you think I'm interested in some tawdry one-night stand. That's because I haven't told you why I'm here yet! Of all the females of all the species in all the galaxies...I have chosen you to be the mother of my child." Her mouth dropped open in shock. She had to scramble out from underneath his omnipotent pawing. "Augh!" she said in disgust as she headed for the other room. Q lounged on the foot of the bed, kicking his heels lazily. "I know that you're probably asking yourself, 'Why would a brilliant, handsome, dashingly omnipotent being like Q want to mate with a scrawny little bipedal specimen like me?" "Let me guess! No one else in the universe will have you!" Janeway called from the other room. Q sprang from the bed in mock outrage, and rushed to the doorway where his twue wuv awaits. "Nonsense! I could have chosen a Klingon Taarg! A Romulan empress! A Cyrillian microbe!" Janeway appeared wearing a Q-proof bathrobe. "Really? I beat out a single-celled organism? How flattering!" She tried to get past him, but he blocked the doorway with his arm. "It's an overwhelming honor isn't it?" He said, missing (or ignoring) the sarcasm. "I can't get you out of my mind," he rasped. "You're confident, passionate, beautiful..." "And totally uninterested." She snuck under his arm and escaped into her room. He pursued. "Kathy, you can't leave! My cosmic clock...is ticking. Besides...you have no idea what you're missing! Foreplay with a Q can last for decades." "Sorry, but I'm busy for the next 60 or 70 years!" she said, ducking away from his advances yet again. "Oh, I see, this is one of those silly human rituals! You're playing hard to get!" "As far as you're concerned, Q, I'm impossible to get." His face lit up. "Goody! A challenge! This is going to be fun!" He snapped his fingers, and the captain's quarters returned to their previous monastic condition. Janeway ensured that all was as it was supposed to be, and then hailed the bridge. She told Chakotay of Q's visit, sparing details, and told the crew to be on their guard for anything unusual. Chakotay asked what his purpose was, concerned. "Let's just say he had a personal request," Janeway said coyly. "I have a feeling he'll be back." The next morning, Janeway sat at her desk in her ready room, poring over reports, and yawning her way through her sixth pot of coffee. Chakotay rang, bearing the data from yesterday's supernova. She took it without even looking at him. He didn't leave immediately, and she broke out of whatever she had been thinking about. "Is there something else?" she muttered distractedly. He asked for details of Q's visit, knowing he wa's being nosy, but unable to resist. "He wants to mate with me," she finally said, and Chakotay seethed. "Of course it's out of the question," she added; she figured Q has some hidden agenda he hasn't bothered to reveal yet. She sensed Chakotay's reaction, stood and placed a hand on his arm. "Oh, Chakotay..." she said, peering intently into his eyes, her hand still welded to his arm. "I know I don't have any right to feel this way, but this bothers the hell out of me," he said. "I do believe you're jealous," Q remarked, for once appearing silently. "Why didn't you tell me there was another man?" he demanded. Janeway and Chakotay looked at him, caught in the intimate moment. "Because there isn't," Janeway responded, as she and Chakotay broke contact. Chakotay fell on the ground in a puddle of rejection. "I'm just not interested in you." Chakotay managed to add, "any questions?" Q insulted Chakotay, and asked what she could possibly see in the big oaf. "Is it the tattoo? Because MINE'S BIGGER!" He turned his face, the left half of which was now completely covered in elaborately detailed facial art, intended to emulate but surpass Chakotay's own. (How...wilderness of him.) Janeway considered him. "Not big enough," she sniffed, then exited for the bridge with the upper hand. Chakotay stayed a moment longer, as if to say something (tattoo envy?) But eventually followed the captain, leaving Q with ink on his face, thinking furiously. * Chakotay called from the bridge. Janeway said she was on her way, and told Q and Miss Q (who happened to be bothering her at the time) to take their squabbled off her ship. Janeway enters the bridge, followed by the two Q's. Chakotay told the Captain that there were two more supernovae building up, far nearer to their position than before. Too close, in fact, to warp away from. Janeway ordered Paris to get them out of there at maximum impulse, but they knew it was too late to avoid some serious stellar debris. Janeway advanced on Q. "One supernova every century is about average. We've experienced three in as many days. I suspect you have something to do with it." Suzie Q piped in from her vantage point at the edge of the bridge, posing like the Venus de Continuum (with arms). "She may be a member of an intellectually challenged species, but she's right. Your irresponsible behavior is continuing to have cosmic consequences." Janeway asked if it was true. "Not exactly." He frowned as he regarded Suzie Q. "Will you stop overreacting? Always nagging; you can see why I left her." The shockwaves from the supernovae were coming in. Janeway demanded that Q do something. He snapped his fingers, and he and Janeway disappeared. "That two-timing toad!" Suzie Q shouted, then snapped her own fingers and disappeared. Okay, in this version, she's gone for GOOD! Okay. Voyager was rocked, tossed, folded, spindled and mutilated in the wake of exploding suns. Janeway found herself in hoop skirts and her hair up, in an elegant sitting room. Q entered wearing the uniform of a Union general. "You're in the Continuum now," he said. The current image is far more expressive of the Continuum at the moment. He, the dashing Northern officer, seeking the hand of the testy Southern belle in war-torn Georgia (yah, hadda keep that bit, my home state), despite her hatred for "Yankee interlopers." Janeway was concerned about her ship and crew. Q said that the first officer--Chuckles, was it?--surely could handle the situation for now. He was still bantering, but his mood seemed more somber, though subtly so at first. "This is beyond your ship. It's even beyond you and me. This is about the future of the Continuum itself." He poured himself a mint julep. Janeway ran at him--not an easy task in full Southern Belle regalia. She demanded to know what's going on. "I'll do better than that...I'll show you." He opened the shutters to reveal the horizon of night. Bonfires and gunfire lit it with a surreal glow. "The Continuum is burning," he said, all trace of irony gone. "The Q are in the middle of a civil war." Janeway's mouth stayed shut, but her silent expression belied her third shock of the episode. As Janeway stared out the window, Q reminded her of Quinn, the Q philosopher who sought asylum and committed suicide. "Do you recall what I said would happen?" Janeway remembered; a disruption in the Continuum, dire consequences. "I'd say a civil war is pretty dire." Q himself had led the charge for greater freedom in the Continuum, more of what Quinn had argued for, causing the forced for the status quo to seek to squash them permanently. The battle spread throughout the Continuum, and even spread into the galaxy--the Supernovae are "galactic crossfire." Q also thought that the Civil War could be a good thing--it could pave the way for a greater Q society. Janeway argued that the American Civil War was fought before her people had learned to resolve their arguments peacefully. Q wanted her to help him transform the Q. "By mating with you?" "I know; brilliant, isn't it?" Janeway still didn't see how it will accomplish things, but Q explained. By combining the omnipotence of the Q with the civilized DNA of humanity, he believed they could produce a better breed of Q--bred for peace, and wider understanding, and capable of leading the Continuum to a new and greater age. Janeway was still confused, but the passions of Q's argument did seem to be making her think about his arguments. She had her questions, but for now she listened as Q suggested their fruitful union would give rise to a new Messiah of Q, a Q of peace and intellect and enlightened immortality. (That was the important line, go read it again.) The window exploded. They ducked. Q ended up on top of her. He asked her what she thought. A bullet (or whatever in the Continuum was represented by a bullet) ricocheted around the room, and Q collapsed, a bloody wound in his right forearm. Q and Janeway were equally shocked at the sight of the blood. The room continued to erupt in hot leaden death. Aboard Voyager, electric death sparked from panels and access hatches. Crewmen lay unconscious or worse. But the cast members whose named we know are okay, and they were quickly up and barking status and damage reports. Warp was down, and they were 16 billion kilometers away from where they were before. Chakotay wanted answers, but few were to be had. They were forced to wait. Q continued to bleed. "I didn't think you were capable of bleeding," Janeway said. "They're merely a representation of what is actually happening," he said. "You'd be surprised at the ingenuity of an immortal being bent on destroying another." The Q outside the house ordered his surrender. Q limped, bleeding, to the window, and swore never to surrender and fired back. He told Janeway to grab a rifle from the wall and join in. "If their weapons can make me bleed, imagine what they'll do to you." The room exploded; Q was hurled to the ground, unconscious. Janeway rushed to his side and helped him out of the room. Night fell. "Shenandoah" played on a lone harmonica (among the Union soldiers? Feh!) Janeway brought a cloth with hot water to the supine Q, who was more hurt than originally believed. She pointed out that she encountered some of Q's faction as they were fleeing the homestead. "It doesn't look like you're on the winning side." "And now it's time to end all this," she told him. "I knew you'd come around," he said, his voice hopeful. "I've been thinking about what you said," she added. "That creating a new Q will bring about an era of peace." "But I can't mate with you Q, I won't," she said. "But why?" This is where the train stops, folks. Time to get on and read the first part of "Messiah". It starts where this left off. From ix.netcom.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail Fri Apr 18 14:38:21 1997 Path: ix.netcom.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail From: "Thompson" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: REPOST: Messiah [PG-13] (VOY) 1/9 Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 18:56:43 -0400 Organization: Compaq Lines: 460 Message-ID: <01bc49f0.49965960$87c61ece@thompson.gnatnet.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup35.gnatnet.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1085 This story takes place in what should be considered an alternate time line or alternate universe. Its a different version to the ending of "The Q and the Grey". If you haven't seen the episode, you might be a bit confused, but the story really has little to do with that episode. There's not much in the way of spoilers in this, so don't worry your pretty little heads too greatly. I've gotten a good response from the folks who have read it thus far, so I am posting it. After all, I did write this story just for you folks. It couldn't be used anywhere else. Some people who have asked what I'm working on just don't understand the things one will do for the entertainment of their community. Like lighting their butts on fire and running around screaming "The Tribbles are coming the Tribbles are coming!". Yes, I'd do that. This isn't quite along those lines, but, oh well, you get the point.... And another thing. There is quite a bit of sap in this story, so bring your gloves. The pages might start sticking together in places. I may not really enjoy reading it in every story, but somehow it always ends up in mine. :) All comments and stuff are welcome, really. I'd like to know what my community thinks... even if you hated it, this time, I want to know. I guess this can be considered my first short novel. DISCLAIMER: PARAMOUNT IS GOD! THEY OWN EVERYTHING TO STAR TREK EXCEPT FOR THE COOL STUFF THAT I ADD. This story and the twisting it involves are MINE. And so here it is (drumroll please, thanks Doug) .. the much long awaited story that has taken me months to write and fret over (kinda)... the new ending you've all been waiting for to "The Q and the Grey"....it feels so good to be posting this.... "Messiah" By: Sforzando Part One: "Q, you just have to understand," sighed Janeway. Q was pouting. The look wasn't becoming on him. "Well, I don't," he said. "Q, I could never, ever mate with you, because... because I don't love you," she sat next to him on the ground. "Why not?" "Do really want a list?" Janeway libbed, "look, Q you are an okay guy but..." "Don't patronize a dying Q," Q cried," just make it quick." "Q, you are not going to die," Janeway said. "Wanna make a bet? I think the fact that I left half my blood in that mansion says something about the chances of me living," Q was still pouting. "Q..." "Listen Kathy, tell me," Q turned slightly to look at Janeway, "if you don't love me, than who do you love?" Janeway bit her lip. "And don't say that overgrown Indian of yours." Janeway scowled, "Q, there is nothing wrong with-" "Don't say it, don't say it!" Q cried, "I can't stand to lie here and have my heart broken." "What heart?" "Well, aren't you just nice?" "Nobody ever said I was." "You dragged me out of that mansion. I'd say that was pretty nice," Q sighed, "one of the nicer things anyone's ever done for me. Saving my life." "Considering you've rarely had the problem of having you life threatened," Janeway smirked. "Why do you love him more than me? What's he have that I don't? I could list you several things that I have that he doesn't." Janeway frowned at Q again, thinking. "Chakotay is... more than just 'that overgrown Indian' of mine," she said, "he's a friend." "Aren't I?" "Not really," Janeway paused, "Chakotay is caring-" "Aren't I?" "And sensitive to others needs-" "Aren't I?" "If you were," said Janeway, "I wouldn't be stuck here with you right now." "Well if you had just mated with me, we'd neither be in this predicament!" cried Q. Janeway continued, "Chakotay loves me." Q paused at Janeway's bluntness. "What makes you say that?" he asked. "He told me so," Janeway looked uncomfortably down at her hands, "he has another thing you don't." "What's that?" "My respect." "I don't have your respect?" "Most of the time, no," Janeway looked over at him. "Well, isn't that just dandy?" sighed Q, "no wonder you were playing impossible to get." "You said you liked a challenge," Janeway smiled at Q. "Yes, I did." "Will you please send me back?" Janeway asked. Q stared silently at Janeway. "I'm not sure if I can." "Why?" "I'm just not. I feel as if I've lost my last reason to keep fighting," he looked at Janeway. She stared levelly at him. "Q, please?" Q sighed, "alright, fine, as you wish." Q weakly waved his arm. Janeway leaned back with a sigh. Q had thankfully restored her bed to its original coverings. She lay there for several minutes, before realizing she wasn't alone. Sitting up, Janeway found Q sitting at the foot of her bed. His shoulder was still bleeding. "Well Kathy," his voice completely subdued, almost a whisper, "you got your wish." "Q, I know you'll find another solution," Janeway said softly. Q looked at her quietly. A small smile pricked his face. "You may be right Kathy." Then, in a flash, he was gone. "Chakotay to Janeway," the break between Q's leave and the chirp of the intercom was so short, that it made her wonder. "Janeway here." "I, um, have that report you wanted..." he sounded unsure of himself. "Which report?" "The one on the forward phaser array," Chakotay said, more secure. "Oh, yes," Janeway frowned, "well, um, bring it to my quarters. It's an important report. I think." "Right, Chakotay out." The line ended. "What the hell?" mumbled Janeway. "If that ain't the most damn awkward conversation I've had with the Commander..." "Congratulations Captain," said the Doctor, "I don't know how you did it, but you did." "What?" Janeway peered at the Doctor. She swung her feet, which didn't reach the floor as she sat on the biobed in Sickbay, "I discovered another way to get sick from Neelix's food?" The Doctor mimicked her smirk. "No," he said, "despite all the boosters and such, you've still found a way to get yourself pregnant." "What!?" Janeway nearly fell off the biobed. As it was, she did lose her balance and had to hop off. She gripped the holographic doctor's uniform front, pulling him down to face level. "I think you heard me," sighed the Doctor. Janeway released her grip, and slid to the floor. She buried her face in her hands, moaning something that sounded to the Doctor like "going to kill coo". The Doctor picked her up, and redeposited her on the biobed. Janeway looked at him. The night two weeks ago was not lost on her mind. It had happened shortly after that strange conversation with Chakotay. It had been him, hadn't it? She really hoped so. Janeway had already come to the decision that she would kill Q, somehow, if it hadn't been Chakotay in bed with her. It certainly had felt like him in bed with her... "Um, Doctor, is it too early yet to tell who the father is?" Janeway asked weakly. "I would assume that you would be able to remember," sighed the Doctor, "but yes, I can." He ran a tricorder over Janeway's belly, "yes, it is Commander Chakotay's baby, Captain." Janeway was afraid he would make some strange rude comment, but he just smiled congratulations at her. "Okay," said Janeway. Seeing the upset look on Janeway's face, the Doctor added another suggestion. "You can terminate the baby if you wish," he noted. Janeway shook her head. "No," she said softly, "um, I need to think a little about that." The Doctor nodded. "Think about it, yeah, right," Janeway sighed, flopping onto her bed. She rubbed her nose. "Janeway to Chakotay," she called quietly, tapping her commbadge. "Yes?" "Come down here please." "I'm on my way." After closing the link, Janeway sighed again. She sat up, fumbling with the zipper of her jacket. "This is *not* my idea of fun," she mumbled, wriggling out of the confining black cloth. Her boots followed with a thunk, and Janeway stalked off, looking for something else to wear. Chakotay had a feeling that he was in trouble the moment he walked into Janeway's darkened quarters. She was sitting, back to him, staring out the porthole into space. "Kathryn?" he said quietly, coming up behind her. She didn't move, chin still propped up on the knees of the dark blue pantsuit she wore. Chakotay placed a careful hand on her shoulder. He felt the muscles tighten at his touch, and removed his hand. With a sigh, Janeway's feet hit the floor, as she stood. It was a quick, graceful movement, yet Chakotay noted a flicker of pain in her expression. She remained with her back to him for another moment, then turned slowly. Janeway looked up at Chakotay, features set in a determined line. The confusion of a moment before was gone. "Chakotay, we need to talk," Janeway's voice sounded slightly strained. Chakotay nodded silently, and Janeway led him over to the couch. He sat, then she did, trying to distance herself from him. Chakotay scooted over a little bit. Janeway put her face in her hands. "Kathryn, what's wrong?" asked Chakotay. Janeway looked up, unshed tears in glistening in her eyes. She took a shaky breath, then let it out slowly. "Chakotay, um," Chakotay couldn't remember seeing Janeway so distressed before, "um, you remember that night two weeks ago?" "Yes," Chakotay said slowly, trying not to grin at the memory. "Well, um..." Janeway took Chakotay's hand, threading her fingers with his, then closing them in a fist. She looked up into Chakotay's eyes. "Chakotay, I'm pregnant." Chakotay swallowed. He said nothing. He didn't know what to say. "Chakotay, I don't know what to do," Janeway said softly. She broke the gaze to look down at their intertwined hands. "Kathryn," Chakotay said. She looked up again, "I... I'm not quite sure what to think. But, I know that I love you." Janeway bit her lip, a small tear spilling over. "You do?" she asked hoarsely. Chakotay smiled. "Yes," he promised. A small smile crept onto Janeway's lips. Chakotay bowed his head to kiss her. Janeway sighed when he broke the kiss. "It still doesn't solve the problem of what to do about this baby," she said. The lost, confused look in her eyes had returned. "Kathryn, what do you what to do?" he asked carefully. "I..." she took another shaky breath, pulling her hand free. Kathryn clasped her hands over her stomach, "I don't know. I haven't really thought much about it." "Then why did you call me in here if you didn't know what *your* opinion on this was?" Chakotay asked. "I needed to know," Janeway cried quietly, "I needed to know your opinion on this. Whether you wanted this or not." "What makes you think that I wouldn't want this?" Chakotay asked. Janeway sighed again, looked up into his open face. "Chakotay, I love you, but-," Janeway stopped. "What? What did you think?" "After what happened with Seska, I wasn't sure that this would be something that you'd want." Chakotay's laugh was short and bitter, almost a snort. "Kathryn, Seska was... Seska was..." his voice trailed off. Chakotay's brow furrowed as he tried to find the right words, "Seska was a mistake. I never felt as close to Seska as feel towards you. This is totally different." "Is it?" Janeway asked. "Yes," said Chakotay, "it is." "But you loved her." "I thought at the time, that I did love her," said Chakotay, "but now I know differently." "Someday you'll realize the same thing about me," Janeway whispered, looking down. Chakotay sighed feeling like he was losing an important battle. "Kathryn, please," he pleaded, "you have to understand. I don't love anyone else in the galaxy. But I *do* love you. I don't think I love you. I *know* I do." She looked up at him, and smiled. Her hand lifted, tracing Chakotay's jawline, yet never quite touching the skin. Chakotay smiled back. "I get off duty in an hour," he said, "you want to meet me in the mess hall for dinner?" Her fingers ghosted over the lines of his tattoo. She nodded, raising herself slightly. "Sounds good to me," she said. Their kiss was broken only by Tuvok's hail from the Bridge. Janeway sat herself down carefully. This earned her a small smile from Kes. "So how do you feel?" Kes asked. "I've been better," Janeway moaned, fingers spread over her stomach. "Ah, good morning Captain," said the Doctor, a bit too loudly. Janeway flinched. "What's so good about it?" Janeway was bitter and still a tad pale. "Morning sickness again?" the Doctor queried. "I'm afraid so," sighed Kes. "More like morning, noon and night sickness," retorted Janeway, "I really don't think I can look at Neelix's cooking again." "It *was* yellow," admitted Kes, half-smiling. "How much longer is this supposed to last?" asked Janeway, "I haven't held anything down in two weeks." "Not much longer," said the Doctor, "but you're right, you've lost three pounds when you should have gained six. I'm going to have to give you a nutrient supplement along with something to calm your nerves." The Doctor filled a hypospray. "You do look a little pale," Kes noted. The Doctor lifted the hypospray to Janeway's neck. "I suggest you take a few days off," he said, "your nausea should pass in a week or two, I want you to stay off duty until then." Janeway sighed tiredly. "Really Doctor, is it necessary?" The Doctor scowled. "You are over stressing yourself Captain," he said, "you're hurting yourself more than you realize by attending duty on the Bridge." Janeway scowled back at him. "Doctor, I need to be on the Bridge," she protested, "I'm no good to the ship in my quarters." "You say you're needed on the Bridge, but I have confidence that the crew can run the ship without you." "Doctor, can you two make some sort of arrangement?" Kes said, "you two are going to be standing here arguing forever if you don't." The Doctor looked thoughtful. "Alright," he spoke after a minute, "Captain Janeway, you can attend your bridge duty for two hours every other day." "Every day," Janeway shot back. "One hour every day," the Doctor said. "Fine." "So Captain," smiled Kes, helping her off the biobed, "shall I have Neelix send something less yellow to your quarters?" "I have to go back to the bridge," Janeway protested. "Ah, ah Captain, you've already been on duty for three hours today," the Doctor stopped her, laying a hand on her arm. Janeway snapped her fingers. "Darn, I was hoping you wouldn't notice," she said. Then, a hopeful look, "can I go down to the Bridge to tell the Commander?" "Captain, do I have to escort you down to your quarters to make sure you get there?" the Doctor was scowling again. "No," Janeway sighed, "I'll go to my quarters." "Good," the Doctor saw the upset look on Janeway's face. He followed her to the doors, adding, "Captain, I know you don't like this, but you still have six months to go. Do you really want to risk harming your baby by driving yourself to exhaustion?" Janeway stopped, turning slowly to face the Doctor. "No," she said, her voice low. Then she turned again, leaving Sickbay. A few days later, Chakotay entered the Captain's quarters. He was just finally getting past the feeling of being like a teenager sneaking around, and was starting to feel comfortable entering Janeway's quarters. The rooms were darkened, but light spilled into the living room, throwing shadows on the bed. Chakotay could hear humming from the bathroom. "Kathryn? Are you there?" Chakotay crossed the sitting room. "Mm, Chakotay? Is that you?" Janeway's sleepy voice larked out from the bathroom. "What are you doing?" he asked with a soft laugh. He heard her moving in the tub. "Just trying to relax," she said. Chakotay leaned in the bathroom door, a wolfish grin on his face. Janeway lay in the tub, covered up to her shoulders in murky grey water. "Why is the water grey?" asked Chakotay, sitting on the floor next to the tub. Janeway shrugged, sending ripples through the water. "Something Doc gave me," she told him, "it's supposed to help me reduce stress." Janeway wiggled her toes. "Does it work?" Chakotay asked. She shrugged again. "Yes." Then, an afterthought, "it has the smell of lavender." Janeway closed her eyes and leaned her head on the wall. "Lavender?" "Mm..." Janeway hummed to herself again. Chakotay ran a hand through her wet hair. "You're going wrinkle up like a prune," he laughed, "how long have you been in there?" "I dunno," Janeway said, "considering he fact the water is still warm... not long." She pulled Chakotay's hand from her hair. "So what did I miss on the Bridge today?" "Not much," Chakotay admitted, "just another dull day in the Delta Quadrant." "I'm going to go crazy," Janeway sighed, "I just lie around all day, doing nothing, waiting for an excuse to leave my quarters." "I envy you," Chakotay laughed, "I wish I could do nothing all day, and not get thrown in the brig for it." "You think you do," Janeway nearly whined, "until it happens and you're under orders not to do *anything*." "I can't believe the doctor took you off duty completely for two weeks." "Just because I fainted in the mess hall," Janeway sighed. Chakotay chuckled. "The look on Neelix's face was priceless," he said, smothering a laugh. Janeway smiled, her eyes opening. "I think he's afraid to talk to me now," she smirked, "I went in there for lunch and he completely avoided me. Kes had to serve me." "And you're complaining?" Chakotay laughed. "He thinks it's his fault that I fainted," Janeway idly played with the end of her hair. Chakotay's expression sobered. "You really should have been more careful," he said, "the doctor warned you..." "I know, I know," Janeway sniffed, "he warned me that I was at the risk of over-stressing myself, and my body would give up before me mind did." "He knew what he was talking about." Janeway rolled her eyes. Chakotay patted her hand. "Are you hungry?" "I guess," Janeway sighed airily. "Do you want to go to Sandrine's for dinner?" Chakotay asked. As of recently, Neelix had begun bringing dinners down to Sandrine's. The holoprogram for the bar was almost always running in Holodeck one. Either that program of Neelix's resort program. Sandrine's played during the night hours. "Sounds like a good idea to me," Janeway sat up, "why don't you go change out of your uniform, and I'll get dressed." "Alright," said Chakotay, standing up. "I'll meet you down there in half an hour." The floor was cold under Janeway's feet, as she stepped out of the tub. After toweling off, she pulled her robe over her shoulders. Janeway went out into the living room, picking her clothes up off the bed. She dressed, then went out into the other room to find her shoes. Janeway stopped, when she saw who was sitting in there. "How long have you been sitting there?" Janeway demanded, trying to keep her rising anger out of her voice. "Not long," said Q, a dumb smile on his face. "What do you want?" Janeway asked, a hand rising to her forehead. She was dizzy again. "You should sit down." Janeway sat on the couch across from Q, glaring at him. "So?" She crossed her arms defensively. "There is something you need to know." "About what?" her eyes narrowed. "About your baby." Janeway resisted the urge to stand, her head was still swimming slightly. "What about my baby?" Janeway's voice was rough and dangerously low. Q stood, then paused, apparently gathering his thoughts. "The Doctor told you it was Commander Chakotay's baby, didn't he?" "Yes," Janeway's eyes narrowed more, "it is, isn't it?" "Yes," said Q, "and no." She couldn't help it. Janeway jumped to her feet, her stomach lurching a few seconds behind. "What to you mean 'and no'?" Q held up his hands defensively, trying to keep her away. "I, um, well," Q frowned, "it's a bit difficult to explain." Janeway lurched forward again, grabbing Q by the collar. "You better start explaining," she growled. "Okay, I'm explaining!" cried Q. Janeway let go. Q stumbled a few steps away. Janeway still stood, fists clenched at her sides, her breath coming in short snorts. "Kathy, sit please," Q said, a slightly worried expression on his face. Janeway sat down again on the couch. "Tell me something," Janeway said, a fist tapping the arm of the couch, "it was Chakotay, right?" "Yes," said Q, "but it's a bit technical." "Technical." "Yes." At Janeway's snort he added, "but I'll do my best to explain. You see, the child you carry has three parents." "Excuse me? Three?" Janeway mocked a bit. "Yes, let me explain," said Q quickly, "do you remember our conversation, almost four months ago?" "When we were at your troops' camps? Yes, I remember," Janeway look slightly suspicious. "I don't know if you recall, but you told me that you knew I would find another solution to my problem." "I said that after you had returned me to Voyager," Janeway corrected. "Whenever. The fact is that you said it. Well, I found a way." "Were you responsible for me getting pregnant?" Janeway asked. "No," Q smiled thinly, "that was all your own doing. But.. I had a feeling that this might happen, so..." "What?" Janeway asked. Q looked uncomfortable. "I took the liberty of changing the genetic code in Commander Chakotay's reproductive organs," Q mumbled. "You what?!" "Don't worry!" Q cried, "it's not permanent, I set the new codes to degrade in another week." "I can't believe you did this." "It was the only way..." "So I'm having your child?" "No!" cried Q, "that's just the thing. I altered Chakotay's reproductive genetic structure to contain Q genotypes. It's more my child than his, but it is still his too." Janeway's fury was barely kept. "How dare you-" "Please listen!" shouted Q, "you would have never willing carried my child. I found a way, and I took it." "God damn it Q, you are such a self centered pig!" Janeway was on her feet again. This time her stomach rebelled, and she fell to her knees, doubled over. Q was instantly at her side. END PART ONE From ix.netcom.com!howland.erols.net!cam-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail Fri Apr 18 14:38:25 1997 Path: ix.netcom.com!howland.erols.net!cam-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail From: "Thompson" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: REPOST: Messiah [PG-13] (VOY) 2/9 Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 18:57:25 -0400 Organization: Compaq Lines: 447 Message-ID: <01bc49f0.627eff40$87c61ece@thompson.gnatnet.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup35.gnatnet.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1085 Disclaimer: See Part One Messiah by: Sforzando Part Two "Kathryn! are you alright?" the worry in his voice was obvious. "I'm fine Q, really," Janeway tried to shake him off. She took a few slow deep breaths, then shakily sat up. She looked at him, nausea and pain still in her expression. "Q, didn't you consider the consequences of you actions?" Q helped Janeway back to the couch. He held on to her hand. "Yes Kathryn, I did. That is why I had to do this," Q explained, "I was considering what would happen to the universe if I did not find a way to bring peace to the Continuum. You have to understand." Janeway's free hand pressed against her forehead. "But did you consider how it would affect Chakotay and I's relationship?" she wondered, "I'm not sure this is going to work Q. I'm not sure I want to have this baby." "Kathy, you have to." "Do I?" "Think of all the lives out there that may be lost if the war in the Continuum continues," Q said. "When you became pregnant with this child, the war stopped. But it will only be pause in the destruction of the universe if you terminate now. I'm not talking of just the loss of Q lives, but of the lives of possibly every species in the universe." Janeway took a shuddering breath. "I need to talk to Chakotay about this first." She look up at Q, "should I tell him or you?" "You were on your way to meet him for dinner in the holodeck, weren't you?" Q asked, "I'll tag along, and I'll tell him." "You'll tell him?" Janeway looked dubious. "Yes," said Q, "I'll be able to control him if he doesn't take it too well." "Well... okay." "Just get a table for three," Q said. Then, with a wave of his hand, Q was gone, leaving behind an emotionally broken woman. Janeway walked carefully into Sandrine's. Chakotay was waiting for her at a table in the back. "Sorry I'm late," she said, sitting down, "but I'm afraid we're going to have a visitor with us for dinner." "Who?" Chakotay was a bit suspicious. "Q," said Janeway. Chakotay sighed. "Chakotay, I know he's not usually a very welcome dinner guest, but he needs to talk to you about something." Chakotay just grunted. There was a flash, and Q stood solemnly next to the table. "Commander, may I have a moment of your time?" Q asked. Chakotay helplessly agreed. There was one flash, in which they disappeared, leaving Janeway alone at the table, and a second flash a few seconds later which redeposited Chakotay and Q. Chakotay wore an odd expression, but Q looked pleased. He leaned over to Janeway and spoke into her ear. "I think it went pretty well," he whispered, "but you need to talk with him. When you've decided on what you're going to do, just call me." Then he was gone again. Janeway turned to Chakotay. His mixed expression was gone, replaced by one of mild confusion. "Chakotay-" "Kathryn-" They both sighed. "Chakotay, I'm sorry," Janeway rushed. "It's okay, I think," Chakotay said, "Q did a pretty thorough explanation of what he did. I'm just not sure what to think of it yet." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Chakotay I-" "How do you feel?" Chakotay asked. "Fine, why?" Kathryn was briefly confused. "Q said you weren't feeling well earlier." Janeway gave a weak laugh. "It was just nausea again." "Are you sure?" "Yes," said Janeway, "I was just a little worked up, that's all." Chakotay gave a wry grin. "Just a little pissed off?" He laughed. "Q said you were practically attacking him." "Like you didn't," Janeway grumbled. "Okay, I'll admit, I did lose control for a bit," said Chakotay, "but my actions didn't affect my health." Janeway snorted. "With Q they could have." She waved the holographic waiter over. He appeared with two dinner trays. "Good evening Captain, Commander," the waiter greeted them, "Mr. Neelix has finally perfected his macaroni and cheese." The waiter grinned, setting the trays down. "This looks edible," thought out Janeway, "thank you." The holocharacter nodded and went off to do something else. "Macaroni and cheese? Interesting." Janeway sampled, nodding her approval. "Tastes right," she decided. A thought entered her mind, and she chuckled wistfully to herself. "What?" "I remember the other Q, Quinn, back when he first appeared on the ship," said Janeway, "he took me to the mess hall, and set a table with Welsh Rabbit for dinner." "Welsh Rabbit?" "It's like a grilled cheese sandwich," Janeway grinned, "poor Neelix, he had no idea what a rabbit was, and he didn't know Welsh Rabbit had nothing to do with rabbits." Chakotay was grinning now too. "Now he knows how we feel when he comes up with some weird new recipe." "Like tempi fried golkah with neb sauce," Janeway pretended to shudder. "Or his wonderful nakantu berries with maraktua sauce," Chakotay stuck his tongue out. "I like that one." "That's only because you're pregnant," "Which brings us back to the matters at hand," Janeway said. Chakotay sighed. "What are we going to do Chakotay?" "I don't know," Chakotay shook his head, "Q's just made this so difficult." "Do you want me to terminate the baby?" "That's just it," Chakotay said, "it's my baby too. I don't know if I can just sit by and let you kill our child." Janeway frowned. "But it's not really our child anymore-" "How can you say that?" barked Chakotay. "He'll just be a political toy for the Continuum!" Janeway hissed back. She looked around quickly, hoping they weren't attracting too much attention. "Chakotay, I know you don't think this right. I'm not sure I do either. But do you think it is fair for me as the mother of this child to not be able to ever know it? From what I gathered from Q, he's going to take our child as soon as it is born. I don't know if I can face that." Chakotay was looking down at his plate, a slightly guilty look on his face. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I'm not mad at you," Janeway said, "so, should I have the baby?" "Yes," Chakotay said, "you have the baby, let Q take it, tell him to keep out of our lives so we can pretend this never happened." Janeway searched his expression, not sure if he was being sarcastic. "Pretend this relationship never happened," she was surprised at her mildly bitter tone. Chakotay gave an exasperated sigh. He grabbed Janeway's free hand. "Kathryn, I didn't say that," he defended, "we had a relationship before you got pregnant. I loved you a long time before you got pregnant. I don't want to throw what we have away." Janeway wondered if he would be embarrassed about this rather emotional outburst later. She smiled. "That means a lot to me, you know," her voice was soft, "so should we inform Q now?" Chakotay grinned. "Nah," he said, "I was hoping maybe we could have a night to ourselves." Chakotay wound his arm around Janeway's waist. She motioned to Chakotay's plate with her fork. Even thought neither had noticed, she had been eating during their whole argument. "Are you going to eat all that? I'm starving." Chakotay covered his plate with his hands. "Mine," Chakotay grinned, "call the waiter for more." The holo-waiter zapped into existence next to them. "You called?" "Another serving of the mac'n cheese for the Captain," Chakotay ordered. "Coming right up." "You know," said Janeway, "I never imagined Neelix being capable of making an Alpha Quadrant food that actually tasted like an Alpha Quadrant food." "You have to give him credit, he tries." Janeway shrugged, and resumed devouring her dinner, "you really are hungry, aren't you?" "You bet." "Must be the pregnancy," said Chakotay. "That, and I haven't eaten since last night." Chakotay sighed again. "Kathryn..." "Nag, nag," quirked Janeway, "I do try to eat Chakotay, and I did eat lunch. Most of it stayed down." A frown ghosted her face as she jabbed a loose noodle. "How's your stomach?" Chakotay asked. "Didn't you already ask me that?" Janeway laughed. "Yes," he said, "but you never gave me a straight answer." "Mm, really? I thought I said I was fine," Janeway tapped her plate with her fork. "But I know you're not." Kathryn snorted. "Please, you are such a nag." "So you will admit you're still nauseous," Chakotay grinned coyly. "Frequently," Janeway admitted, "but not right now." "You wouldn't be pigging out if you were," noted Chakotay. Janeway laughed. "I have to eat more because I'll lose most of it later." "Why don't you see the Doctor about this?" asked Chakotay. "I did. He gave me a suppressant, but it's not working." "Maybe you should get something stronger." Janeway sighed. "He's already given me the strongest stuff that can give me, within regulations." "Regulations?" "By Starfleet regulations there is a limit to what he can give a pregnant human female for nausea." "Even if it makes you more enjoyable to be around?" "Mm hmm." "But there is stronger stuff?" "Yeah there's some stronger stuff for the non-human crew." She noted Chakotay's expression, "Don't even think about it." Chakotay gave her an innocent smile. "Think about what?" Janeway rolled her eyes. "That's part of the reason why the Doctor took me off duty, I think. I have such a weak stomach right now. And doing practically anything makes me queasy." "You do look a bit green," Chakotay laughed. "I try to control it." She finished her dinner, and leaned back. "So what are you plans for tonight?" asked Chakotay, pushing his empty plate away. "I dunno," said Janeway, leaning her elbows on the table, "I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep knowing that I have to talk to Q tomorrow." "I'm sure we're going to be able to help you forget," Chakotay grinned. He nodded over toward the pool table. "I wonder how much Tom's ego will be damaged when he gets his butt beat by a pregnant woman," grinned Janeway. "He'll probably crawl under a rock, never to be seen again," laughed Chakotay. Janeway slapped her palms on the table, sitting up. "We could only be so lucky," she sighed. "Could be lucky about what?" Paris came up behind Janeway. Chakotay snorted, trying not to laugh. "Um," Janeway turned in her seat to look up at Paris," we could only be so lucky that you'd be so gracious as to invite me to play pool." She swallowed, forcing an uncomfortable smile. "It must be your lucky day." Paris offered her a hand. He was one of the few people who knew of Janeway's pregnancy, and had promised not to tell a soul until the Captain and Commander were ready to tell the crew. As far as Janeway could tell he had kept his promise. "So you had Neelix's macaroni and cheese?" said Paris. "Yep," Janeway took a cue, "it was pretty good." "Better than his nakantu berries with maraktua sauce?" Paris laughed. "I liked that one!" cried Janeway, "but the macaroni and cheese is better." "You know, I never realized how much I like Terran cuisine until I had to eat the food out here," said Paris. "I know," Janeway leaned on the cue while Paris took his shot. She heard Chakotay get up from the table. "Take coffee, for instance. No harm meant towards Neelix, but..." "I know," laughed Paris, "there's always something missing." "Like the coffee," said Chakotay, leaning on the pool table. "Sometimes..." Janeway bent to take her shot, "sometimes even the replicators make it to leave something desired. I don't think there is a real substitute for coffee beans." Chakotay leaned over toward Janeway. "Maybe next time you talk to Q..." he whispered into her ear. She could feel his grin. "Don't remind me," Janeway groaned, "I thought we were going to avoid that subject for tonight." "Just a thought," Chakotay whispered, "but he probably could find you a few coffee plants." "Yeah, and then the Doctor would ban me from that too," Janeway sighed. "Poor girl," Chakotay laughed, "you live such a deprived life." "I know," sighed Janeway, "I can't go on the bridge, I can't do this, I can't do that. I'm surprised the Doctor hasn't come in yet to tell me to go back to bed." "Isn't there something as too much sleep?" asked Chakotay. "In the Doctor's mind, no," said Janeway, "and anyway, I don't really get much sleeping done. It's lie down, feel sick, throw up, lie down, feel sick, throw up...'" "Let me guess," said Paris, "the next thing you do is lie down again, and begin to feel sick." "No," Janeway took a shot, "usually after two or three rounds of that either the Doctor or Chakotay comes in to check on me, and they make me eat something." "That's not true," said Chakotay. "Wanna make a bet?" Janeway snorted, "then," she rapped the table with her cue, "*then* I go lie down and the cycle starts over." "But I guess you're feeling much more frisky tonight, huh?" Paris grinned cockily. "You'd be a bit energetic too if you'd been locked up in your quarters for a week," Janeway said. "You know, you should still be in bed," Chakotay said. Janeway drew her face nose to nose with Chakotay. "Nag," she said, and the tip of her pool cue grazed the tip of Chakotay's nose. She gave him a flirting smile, and with a flourish she sashayed around to the other side of the table. "You two are so cute it's sickening," said Paris. Chakotay's smiled twisted, "watch it Paris or we'll stick you with diaper duty." "Now there's a real threat coming from a real man," came Janeway's dry comment. "Ooh, now I've been upgraded to a real man." "What were you before?" laughed Paris. "Before he was just my studly First Officer." Paris watched with mild amusement as Chakotay circled the table, and he and Janeway held an animate whispered conversation. Janeway giggled, as she cast glance at Paris. Tom pretended to ignore the, as he took his shot. When he rose, Chakotay and Janeway were silent, staring at each other, noses nearly touching. Paris cleared him throat, as if to remind them of where they were. Janeway jumped, blushing slightly. "My shot? Yes," Janeway glared briefly at Paris, before moving to take her shot. Paris rubbed his face to hide the snicker he felt springing up. After the game ended, Janeway and Chakotay drifted back over to the bar. They chatted quietly with Harry Kim and his female interest, though neither would admit to it, B'Elanna Torres. Kim had looped his arm around Torres's waist, and she hadn't seemed to notice. As it grew late, they excused themselves, and wandered aimlessly through the corridors. Janeway ran a hand over Chakotay's shoulder. He chuckled to himself. "What's so funny?" asked Janeway. Chakotay waved his free arm at the empty hall. "I was just thinking about how empty the ship feels this late in the day." "I don't see the humor in that," said Janeway, "the halls being empty just mean that everyone is doing something. Like work." "I pity the night shift." "I still don't see the humor," Janeway squeezed Chakotay's arm. "It just must be one of your hormone things," Chakotay grinned. Janeway sighed, then yawned. "Getting tired?" he asked. Janeway shrugged. "Better that than nauseous," she laughed. They stepped into a turbolift. "Senior deck," Chakotay said. The computer chirped and the lift started with a jolt. Janeway smiled. "Sending me to bed, are you?" she laughed. Chakotay grinned. "You're lucky that's all I'm doing," he said, "you're lucky that you have a halfway decent excuse..." "Ooh, is that a challenge or a threat?" she grinned. "I haven't decided yet," Chakotay said as the doors to the lift opened. The next morning, Janeway slapped the alarm on the clock off. She moaned, and reburied her head under the pillow. She felt Chakotay move next to her in the bed, his arm still wrapped possessively around her waste. The alarm was still unfamiliar to her ears, as she wasn't used to sleeping in Chakotay's quarters, let alone waking up in them. "Time to wake up," Chakotay said, sounding a bit hoarse. Janeway snorted from underneath the pillow. "No, I don't have to go anywhere, you do," she objected, "I have every right to stay here until midmorning." Even so, she rolled over, freeing herself. "True, but if you plan on sleeping all day, I'm going to have to drag you down the hall to your quarters," Chakotay sat up. "My quarters, your quarters, what's the difference?" Janeway shrugged, sitting up also. "You do have to get up eventually," Chakotay said, "and...." From his tone of voice, Janeway could tell what he was getting to. "I know," Janeway sighed, "talking to Q is not top on my list of things to do today," Janeway got out of the bed, still wearing her civilian clothes from last night, for lack of better nightclothes. Chakotay, who slept in the nude, pulled the bed sheet around him as he thunked his way into the bathroom. When he returned from the sonic shower, Janeway was sitting on the couch. She had apparently went to her quarters and changed. Her head lolled on her shoulder, eyes closed. Chakotay chuckled as he went to search for a clean uniform. Janeway woke from her brief nap and was rubbing her eyes when Chakotay came back into the sitting room a few minutes later. "How do you feel?" Chakotay asked. She yawned, "surprisingly good." "No morning sickness?" Chakotay asked. Janeway rubbed her stomach. "No morning sickness," she realized, "in fact, I feel better than I've felt in months." "That's good," said Chakotay. Janeway let him pull her up onto her wobbly feet. "Though I get a little straight knee at the prospect of talking to Q," she admitted. "Now, if I didn't know better, I'd say you should be in a hurry to get to the bridge." She laughed as he pulled her body to his. "I have just enough time to kiss you good morning," Chakotay kissed her. Janeway lay a hand on Chakotay's arm. "Now, I think you should be there when I talk to Q," she said, "as back up." "Back up?" Chakotay rubbed her back before unwrapping himself. "In case I faint or something," Janeway grinned, "and you're a very imposing character." "Unfortunately, I'm not imposing enough to weasel my way out of explaining to Tuvok why I was late this morning." "You don't mind if I... escort you to the Bridge, do you?" Janeway said as she followed Chakotay to the door. "I have a feeling I don't get much of a choice," Chakotay keyed the door behind them, "you'll just have to hope Doc isn't roaming the halls again." Janeway linked her arm with his, "we're going to have to do something about that too. I mean he-," she stopped. "Are you okay?" Chakotay stopped too. The perplexed look that had appeared on Janeway's face slowly cleared. She smiled. "I'm fine," she said, "just a bit- flustered." "Uh huh." "Where was I?" Janeway gathered her thoughts. "You were ranting," Chakotay grinned. "Ah, yes, ranting," Janeway smiled. They started moving again, "someone needs to talk to the Doctor about privacy protocols." "You mean someone needs to tell him that it's not polite to peek into people's quarters," Chakotay was still grinning. "I was going through your reports the other day from boredom, and I saw six complaints that had to deal with the Doctor," Janeway chuckled, "usually there's only one or two." She shook her head as they boarded the turbolift. "You know, you're not supposed to go past here," Chakotay chided, "Bridge." The lift started. "Do you know how long it's been since I've been on the bridge?" Janeway whined playfully. "How long?" Chakotay asked, though he knew. "Six days," Janeway said. "Six days? My gods! How horrible! This has to stop!" Chakotay said with light sarcasm. Janeway hit his arm. "Not funny." Then, a thoughtful looks, "can I at least take a peek?" "I don't think that could hurt," decided Chakotay. The lift stopped, and the doors opened onto the Bridge. "But you can't leave the lift." "Yes sir," Janeway was sarcastic. She leaned out of the lift. Chakotay exited, and Janeway held the door open. Paris, down at the helm, turned in time to see her. Janeway caught his grin and nodded at him before releasing the turbolift door to shut. "How are you feeling this morning Captain?" the Doctor greeted her as she went into Sickbay. He was giving a brunette Lieutenant from Engineering an injection. "Pretty good," Janeway admitted to him. "You're done Mr. Castle," the Doctor said. The young man hopped off the bed. Janeway nodded to him as he passed by. "Pretty good, hmm?" the Doctor put his instruments away. He motioned to the bed. "Have a seat." "Good morning Captain," Kes called as she came out of the office. "Good morning Kes," Janeway said, sitting up on the biobed. "Kes, could you put it in the record that Lt. Castle had his check up today?" the Doctor fiddled with the readouts on the medical tricorder. "Right away." The Doctor turned back to Janeway. "So Captain, how long have you been feeling 'pretty good'?" "Since I woke up." "No headaches, side aches, backaches, stomachaches or anything else of the sort?" "Surprisingly, no, nothing." "Good," said the Doctor, "I told you the nausea wouldn't last too much longer. I can't say the same about the other aches though, those usually just get worse." "Great," Janeway said sarcastically, "as long as I can eat without worrying about what it will look like in a few hours..." "You're still off duty for the next ten days," the Doctor said. Janeway sighed. "After that you can more than likely return to duty for about the next four months, unless other problems arise. I'll see after four months whether or not you are still fit for duty." Janeway nodded. "Sounds pretty good to me Doc," Janeway relented, "how does everything look?" "Good," reported the Doctor, "scans are showing normal cell reproduction levels, normal blood pressure levels, everything looks good." Janeway cringed internally when she realized that she would eventually have to tell the Doctor about the child's parentage. But not now. There was not a big hurry. Still almost six months. "I recommend that you resume normal eating habits tomorrow, after we make sure that it's safe to be eating again." "Determine 'normal' Doctor," Janeway quipped. The Doctor smirked at the comment. "You do a have a point," he said, "nevertheless, I assume you understand what I mean." "Of course, Doctor," Janeway slapped the side of the biobed lightly, "so am I free to go?" "Yes," said the Doctor, "come back tomorrow sometime and I'll do a follow up on your morning sickness. "Thank you Doctor," Janeway made the short jump down off the bed. END PART TWO From ix.netcom.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail Fri Apr 18 14:38:33 1997 Path: ix.netcom.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail From: "Thompson" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: REPOST: Messiah [PG-13] (VOY) 3/9 Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 18:58:06 -0400 Organization: Compaq Lines: 488 Message-ID: <01bc49f0.7ac15300$87c61ece@thompson.gnatnet.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup35.gnatnet.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1085 Disclaimer: See Part One Messiah by: Sforzando Part Three "Ah, good to see you this fine morning, Captain!" Neelix was overly bright as he handed a tray to a blond lieutenant from the Science department. Janeway watched her cross the room to sit at a table with Lt. Castle and several other woman. "Good morning Neelix," Janeway leaned on the counter, nodded back to the table. "Mr. Castle seems to be very popular," she noted. Neelix chuckled, rounding the counter. "Well, it depends how look at it," he said, "can I get you anything this morning?" "Actually, I'm not very hungry, but Commander Chakotay missed breakfast today," Janeway told him, "could you get something for him?" Neelix nodded, going back around the counter, and continued back into the kitchen to find a cover for a dish. He nodded back over to the table as he ladled something into a dish. "Lt. Castle and his table mates have known each other since they were in the Academy," called Neelix. "But isn't crewman Bathas a former Maquis?" Janeway watched the four women take turns bopping Lt. Castle over the head. A fifth woman, leaving her seat from the next table with Paris, moved to join the others. "Mm, yes I think so," said Neelix. He set the breakfast dish onto the counter top, "and so is Lt. Castle, I believe. Those six are the noisiest bunch we get in the mornings. But they never cause trouble." Neelix chuckled. "What's so funny?" Janeway asked. "It just occurred to me that Lt. Castle has a hormone level close to that of Tom Paris," Neelix remarked, grinning. Janeway laughed, picking up the dish. "Have a nice day Neelix." Janeway rested the dish carefully on one knee as she slapped her commbadge. She repositioned the dish. "Janeway to Chakotay," she paused before reaching the turbolift. "Chakotay here," he said over the link. "Are you busy?" "No, I'm just reading some reports in my office." "Do you mind if I bring you some breakfast?" Janeway smiled at Chakotay's chuckle. "I did miss breakfast this morning, didn't I?" he said, "sure, you can bring it up." A few minutes later, Janeway set the dish on Chakotay's desk, and flopped onto the couch. It was one of those rare ones that wasn't either bolted down to the floor or built into the wall. Recently it had been relocated closer to the desk. "Any idea what this is?" Chakotay asked. "Not at all," sniffed Janeway, "and I didn't take the chance of sampling it either. I was too busy talking to Neelix to think about asking." She grinned as Chakotay sampled the strange looking purple liquid. He flinched slightly at the taste. "Not bad," he reported, "very purplish. A bit tart. I hope Neelix isn't trying to put the crew on a liquid diet." Chakotay set the spoon down to pick up the roll that also rested on the dish. "If its better than what he feed us on the solid side, I wouldn't be complaining," Janeway sat up a little. "Did you drop by Sickbay?" Chakotay asked, braving the purple frontier again. "Yes, and he said everything looks good." Her gaze shifted uncomfortably for a moment. "When do you plan to tell him?" Chakotay asked. "Tell who?" Janeway looked at him. "The Doctor," he said. Janeway shrugged. "Eventually," she sighed. Chakotay tapped his spoon on the edge of the dish. "Where do you want to meet Q at?" he asked. "I'd rather be someplace where I don't feel quite as vulnerable," Janeway said, "I would prefer to be in my ready room." "Don't you think the Doc won't like that?" Chakotay smiled. Janeway sat up, crossing her arms. "Personally I think this had went past the Doctor's responsibility." Chakotay set the cover back on the dish. "True," said Chakotay, "there's not much he can do in this." The commbadge on Chakotay's chest gave a chirp. "Tuvok to Commander Chakotay," Tuvok's voice came over the line. Janeway patted Chakotay's hand, rising. "I'll being going," she said, picking up the breakfast dish. Chakotay nodded, slapping his commbadge. "Yes, Tuvok?" he watched Janeway move with a tired grace, slipping silently out of Chakotay's officer. "You're needed on the Bridge." Janeway returned the breakfast dish to the mess hall. As she walked down the corridor to the turbolift, she had the odd sensation of being followed. She stopped, turning slowly. Other than Ensign Smith and Lt. Thomas leaving the mess hall, the corridor was empty. Janeway slowly continued down the hall, and the feeling passed. She keyed the door to her quarters, and entered the darkened sitting room. Still feeling a bit paranoid, Janeway stood stock still, listening. She strained to hear anything. For some odd reason, fear coursed through her like bad coffee. So when a hand clamped over her mouth, and around her waist, she nearly passed out. Janeway didn't squirm, she was too tense. "Jeez, Kathy, you're as tense a rabbit," Q's voice rasped into her ear. Janeway felt the blood drain out of her face. She swallowed, her breath snorting onto Q's cool hand. She growled something into Q's hand. "What was that?" he pulled his hand away, placing his arm across her shoulders. "What are you doing here?" Janeway hissed. Q pulled her closer to him. "I'm here for your answer," Q murmured into her hair. It was just as Janeway had not wanted it. Q was at a definite advantage, and she hated the feeling of powerlessness. Janeway chose her one option, and remained silent. Q sighed, and released his grip on her. She stepped away, crossing her arms over her chest. She did not turn to face Q. He sighed again, and came around to look at her face. Janeway had set her jaw, and stared down the sides of her nose to the floor. "Kathy..." "Don't call me that," Janeway snapped involuntarily, her head jerking up, glaring at him. Her arms uncrossed, pulled straight, her hands balled into tight fists at her sides. It was a pitiful stance when compared to Q's loose ever present arrogance. But it was a force not to be reckoned with, any mortal could tell that. However, Q was different. Although he was being as serious as immortally possible, the arrogance was still there, causing the disgust Janeway felt churning in her stomach. Q sighed, seemed unsure as to what to do with his hands. Janeway raised a hand to activate her commbadge, but Q grabbed it. "No, don't," Q said, "this has to be your decision, not his." Janeway's eyes narrowed. "First of all," her voice was a low rasp, "you have little right to say who I can discuss this with. Second of all, as his father, Chakotay needs to be included in this decision." Q looked quietly at her, "what else?" "Thirdly," Janeway said, pulling her hand free to reball the fist, "Chakotay and I have discussed this, and *we* came to a decision." "Then you don't really need him here." Janeway sighed in frustration. "I would rather have him here, he needs to be included in this." Q gave her a dull look. "Fine," he crossed his arms and turned his head away, "I assume you'd like to reschedule this little meeting? So you can include Commander Chuckles in it?" Q ignored the scowl from Janeway. "Yes, I would prefer to have this discussion later," she said, "*Chakotay* and I had planned on talking to you about this during lunch." "Very well," Q looked back at her from the corner of his eye, "does 1300 hrs sound good to you?" Janeway nodded silently. Q was gone in a flash, and Janeway settled tiredly onto the couch, before somehow falling asleep. Chakotay and Janeway sat in her ready room, eating their lunches. It was nearly 1300 hrs, and Janeway picked nervously at her food. She had just finished telling Chakotay about her visit from Q earlier in the day. They both were quiet now, Chakotay mulling over Q's brash behavior. Finally he set his bowl down, and leaned back in his chair. Janeway continued to quietly eat her lunch, now glancing over a report she had found. "Have you thought about what you're going to say to Q?" Chakotay asked. Janeway looked up. "Yes, and I've tried to arrange my thoughts. I think I'm going to be as straightforward about this as possible." "I know you're not looking forward to doing this." "Damn right," said Janeway, setting the padd down, "I don't think I've been this nervous in 20 years." "When?" Chakotay asked. "My first interview with Tom's father," she smiled softly to herself, "but that was better than this, definitely. I 'm dreading this, I'm not sure why, but I am." Chakotay took her hand and squeezed it. He let it go as the alarm on the chronometer chimed. Q arrived in a flash of blue light. His hands were laced behind his back, a somber expression on his face. Or at least, somber for a Q, a touch of humor still glinted in his eyes. Chakotay could feel Janeway tense next to him. He put a hand on her arm. She swallowed hard, and stood slowly. There was an uncomfortable silence. Q cleared his throat, "so, have you come to your decision, Kathryn?" "Yes Q, yes I have," Janeway motioned toward the extra chair in the room, and returned to her own seat. "And?" "I have decided that I will carry this child." Q smiled. "That's wonderful," he saw Janeway's pursed lips. "There's a catch, isn't there?" "There's always a catch, Q," said Janeway, "I've learned that from you." "Well, what's the catch?" Q leaned forward. "After I have the baby, I want you to take it to the Continuum, and raise it. Yourself. And, I want you to leave Chakotay and I alone, to stay out of our lives from then on." "I see," said Q, "you... don't want any connection to the child, is that it?" "Basically, yes," sighed Janeway, "Q you've made this very difficult for me. But, you'll be getting what you want." "And what about you? Won't people be a bit suspicious if one day you're pregnant, the next day you have your baby, and the next it's gone?" Q asked her. Chakotay finally spoke up. "That's why we've come up with a plan." Q raised an eyebrow. "A plan, eh? This could be interesting." The months passed. Five, in total. Janeway, now relieved of duty again, was in the mess hall kitchen. She peered into a simmering pot. Neelix came back in from the other room. "Ah, Captain! Seeing what's for lunch?" he rummaged through a cabinet. "Checking to see if it's safe for pregnant women to eat," Janeway murmured. Plural because she wasn't the only woman with child these days. "I've made something special for you and Ensign Pandelin." "What about Torres?" Janeway asked, put the cover back on the pot. Neelix shook his head. "I'm afraid she's still too nauseous to eat, last I heard," he said. Janeway chuckled, going to the next pot. "I know how she feels." "Yes, it was such a relief when you started eating again," Neelix burbled, "Ensign Wildman was saying the other day that it will be so wonderful with all these babies coming along, little Rosie will have some other children to play with." Janeway's back was turned, so Neelix didn't see the frown that crossed her face. "Yes, Neelix, it will be nice," came the strained reply after she found her voice. "Four new little babies, my, my," remarked Neelix, "and poor B'Elanna, having to carry twins." "I think she's up to the challenge." "I just hope Harry's up to the challenge of dealing with a pregnant B'Elanna," Neelix chuckled. "So, what *is* for lunch?" Janeway asked, wincing under the bitter odor from one pan. Not that, Captain, it was to simmer for another five hours, that's for dinner," Neelix said. After seeing her look of distaste, he added, "don't worry, once its simmered it won't be so bitter." "I hope so," Janeway said under her breath. "For you and Pandelin, and Torres if she feels like it, I tried out a new recipe that I thought turned out good. I wanted you three to have first try." New recipe?" Janeway said doubtfully. "Yes, its a version of nakantu berries with maraktua sauce," Neelix seemed overly proud of his creation, "I pureed it, and mixed it with some of the extra fowl from last night, and voila, we have sweet and sour plakuna." Janeway took what he said at face value. "Sounds good." "Oh it is," Neelix opened another pot and spooned something lumpy and grey green into a bowl. "I'll take some down to Pandelin, she's finish up some systems checks in Engineering," offered Janeway. "That's a good idea," said Neelix, "I'll put some for her to go." "Make some up for Torres and me too," said Janeway, "I think I'll bring her some down too, see if she's hungry." "I'm surprised she's supervising the systems check in her condition," Neelix searched for a few more bowls. "It's her job," Janeway shrugged, "and anyhow, its her typical way, too sick to eat but not enough to not work." Neelix chuckled again, fitting the covers on the bowls. Lunch delivery had become a habit for Janeway, as she was off duty, but still wanted to roam the ship. She set the bowls and their utensils into a satchel. "Thanks, Neelix," Janeway called as she left the kitchen. "Enjoy your lunch," Neelix called after her. "Mm, I smell something halfway edible," Ensign Pandelin's head popped out from under an access panel. Her dark brown hair was dappled with blue goo. "I'm sure just about anything smells good compared to Engineering right now." Janeway pulled a chair next to Pandelin's, and opened the satchel. Pandelin wiped her hands off. "We had a leak in one of the bioneural gel packs," she explained, pulling herself up into her chair. She sniffed at the bowl Janeway handed her. "What is this stuff?" "Sweet and sour plakuna," Janeway said, finding a fork. "Tastes okay," Pandelin took a careful taste. "Have you seen Torres?" Janeway asked. "Um, yeah, she's up on the next level working the conduits." "The conduits?" "Yeah, when the gel pack ruptured, we traced the problem back to a conduit intrasctructure failure," Pandelin motioned with her fork, "its pretty messy up there." Janeway was standing again. "I'm going to go see how she's doing," she said. Janeway took the lift to the next level. "I need a shower," complained Torres, "there is only one thing in the world that I want right now, and that is a shower." B'Elanna Torres was covered in thick green goo that oozed from a conduit that she sat next to. "I agree," smiled Janeway, sitting on a clean patch of floor a few feet away, "you look like a swamp monster." "I hate cooling gel for one reason, and this is it," Torres ran a hand through her hair, could you pass me that towel?" Janeway tossed a towel from several that were piled on a console. "Thank you," Torres took the towel, "so you said brought lunch?" "Yep," Janeway watched Torres attempt to clean herself and the side of the conduit off. "Is it edible? I'm curious to see what challenges my stomach is willing to face after surviving in this goo all morning," Torres tossed the towel in disgust. "I think so, Pandelin tried some and it hasn't killed her yet," Janeway smirked. "Where is it?" Torres asked. "In the bottom level, over where Pandelin in working," Janeway said. She shifted, "um, could you help me up?" Torres pulled Janeway to her feet. "Do you wanna take the lift down?" Torres asked. "Yes, thanks, I afraid I'm not cut out for climbing right now," Janeway smiled in apology. "Don't be sorry," said Torres with a laugh, "I'm going to be getting a lot of usage out of the lift in a few months." "Mr. Neelix told me you're still nauseous at lunch time," grinned Janeway, "now why do I get the feeling..." "Actually, I get over it pretty fast, I've just been using that excuse to avoid having to eat some of Neelix's more..." "Colorful creations?" Janeway suggested. "Exactly," said Torres, "I walked in there a few days ago, and whatever it was, it was neon blue and red. A bit much even for me." "Thank the gods for replicators, eh?" "My thoughts exactly." They stepped onto the lift. "Engineering level two." "You know, the men would probably call us weak for using the lift to get everywhere." The lift stopped, and they got off. "I'll show them weak," Torres snorted, pointing at Pandelin, who had finished eating and was taking a nap. She noted the empty bowl, "whatever Neelix whipped up must be good, Stacey's got to be one of the most finicky eaters on this ship." Janeway hoisted the satchel off the floor and sat down, while Torres found a seat. "Have you given any thought to a name?" Torres asked as she sat down. "A name?" "For the baby." "Actually, Chakotay and I haven't given it a lot of thought," Janeway admitted. "That's odd," Torres took her bowl, "I would have thought Chakotay would be thinking about it a lot." "I'm sure that he has thought about it," Janeway sighed, "its just that we haven't discussed it together much." "I see." Torres nodded. Janeway wasn't quite sure whether Torres talking about the baby or the lunch bowl she was peering into. Torres looked up, clearing her throat. "So, the Doctor said the baby is a boy?" "Yep," said Janeway, smiling softly, "did you find out what sex the twins are?" A rueful smile twisted B'Elanna's features. "Girls," she reported. Janeway chuckled. "How did Harry take the news?" "About me being pregnant or about the twins, or about them being girls?" Torres laughed loudly, Janeway joining in. Pandelin snorted from where her head rested on a computer panel. Still sniffling a giggle, Torres answered all three questions. "Well, he took everything pretty well. After he got over the initial shock he was really excited. He made some silly quip about becoming a father twice at one time, and when I told him they were girls, he said that he hoped the looked like me." They were laughing again. "Men can say such silly things," Janeway sighed. "Especially when it comes to children," said Torres. Janeway grew quiet. "Are you okay?" Janeway flinched, looking up, then at her hand that tightly clutched the arm of the chair. She let go, shaking her head. "No, I'm fine." Torres sighed in relief. "Good, for a moment there I thought you were having a contraction or something," she said. Janeway was still shaking her head. "No, but you're right, I have to be careful this close to my due date," she agreed quietly. Janeway looked at a nearby chronometer, "I need to be going, I'm supposed to be meeting Chakotay in a few minutes." "I'll take the dishes back for you if you're in a hurry," Torres offered. Janeway stood up stiffly, "Yes, thank you." In the turbolift heading for the senior decks, Janeway leaned against the round wall of the lift. She groaned, nearly bent over, hand clenching the railing on the wall. The pain was horrible now. Torres's guess hadn't been that far off. She moved to sit on the floor, leaning against the wall. Her face creased with pain as she activated her commbadge. "Janeway to Chakotay..." she rasped. "Kathryn? Are you all right?" Chakotay was almost off the bridge. Over the link he heard Janeway moan. He pivoted quickly. "Tuvok, locate the Captain." "She is in turbolift three, headed for the senior deck," Tuvok reported. "Get the Doctor up there," Chakotay said, nearly running off the Bridge. Kathryn was crumpled on the floor of the turbolift, panting. Chakotay was two steps behind the Doctor. "Her water's broke, she's going into labor," the Doctor said. Chakotay lifted her off the floor as the Doctor called for an emergency transport. He set her on the biobed, where Kes was waiting in Sickbay. "I really hate you right now," groaned Janeway, a few minutes later. She was bathed in sweat, panting, her eyes half closed. "How long until the next contraction?" asked Chakotay. The Doctor checked. "A little over a minute," he said. Janeway moaned again, "okay make that less that a minute." Chakotay's commbadge chirped, "Tuvok to the Commander, you are needed on the bridge." "Is this urgent Tuvok?" Chakotay asked. The ship shook lightly. "Yes, Commander, it is." Chakotay looked from the Captain to the doors as the ship shook again. He quickly squeezed Janeway's hand. "I'll be back as soon as possible," he said to her. "Uh huh-" her response was cut off by another moan. "I'm on my way Tuvok." Chakotay started for the doors. The ship shook again as Chakotay entered the Bridge. "What's the problem?" he barked. "We have come into contact with an odd spacial entity," Tuvok reported, motioning toward the viewscreen which was filled. A swirling blue maelstrom filled the screen. "Hail it," Chakotay ordered. "Sir?" Kim's confused response. "I said hail the damn thing." "Aye sir," said Kim, "hailing on all frequencies." A perplexed look crossed his face, "sir I'm reading that the entity is receiving our hail, but its not responding." Chakotay nodded. "Prepare to send a message." "Ready." Chakotay turned. "This is Commander Chakotay of the Federation Starship Voyager, please stop your attacks on this ship. I repeat stop your attacks on this ship," he waved for Kim to end transmission, "did they get that?" "Yes," affirmed Kim, "they heard it." "Sir, the entity appears to be withdrawing," announced Tuvok. "I'll be in Sickbay," Chakotay started for the door, "I want a report on that entity by tomorrow morning." "Aye sir." A few hours later, Janeway was resting in Sickbay, while the Doctor ran tests on the baby. Chakotay hovered about, looking around a bit nervously. "Commander, would you like someplace to sit?" Kes asked. "Um, sure," Chakotay said. Kes led him over to a chair. "You look tired, maybe you should get some rest too?" Kes looked at him. "Maybe," Chakotay grinned wryly, "how's the baby look?" "He looks good," said Kes, "even though he's a few days early, everything..." she drifted off as a strange shrieking filled the room. The ship began to shake, and a console on the other side of Sickbay exploded. The ship bucked underneath their feet, and everyone was thrown. A scream was the last thing Chakotay heard before his body slammed to the floor. The red alert siren woke Chakotay. He groggily lifted his head. His shoulder hurt. Kes was unconscious nearby, and the Doctor stood in the middle of Sickbay, stiff as could be. He stood carefully. "Computer, reinitialize the medical program," Chakotay said. The Doctor blinked several times. "What happened?" he asked, looking around. Chakotay was placing Kes on a biobed. Chakotay ignored the Doctor, turning to look for Janeway, who had disappeared. He found her in the Doctor's officer, knees tucked up as best she could manage, leaning against the wall. She was crying, her breath coming in short gasps. He sat down next to her when he realized she wasn't acting, and Chakotay pulled Janeway into his arms. "Why did it have to be this way?" she sobbed into his chest, her own chest heaving. He didn't what to say, so he whispered quiet assurances, and stroked her hair softly. "You knew this was going to happen," Chakotay said after she had quieted. "But I didn't expect to feel this way about it," Janeway lifted her face from Chakotay's soaked uniform front. "Oh, good, you found her," The Doctor appeared at the doorway, "Captain, your baby..." "I know," Janeway said, "I know he's gone." The Doctor nodded somberly. "I'm afraid so." He helped them to their feet. "I'm not sure what happened." The Doctor led Janeway back to a biobed. "Bridge to Commander Chakotay," Tuvok's voice came over Chakotay's commbadge, "we are having a few problems." "What the hell just happened?" Chakotay asked, helping Janeway lie back on the bed. "The spacial entity we encountered earlier returned, and continued its attack on us. At one point, our aft shields failed, and the ship was hit with a focused energy beam. Several power relays were blown out. We detected an explosion in Sickbay. Is everyone alright?" "Well, yes, but the Captain's baby disappeared," Chakotay said. "When did this occur?" "Shortly after the power relay blew." "I am truly sorry," Tuvok said, "give my condolences to the Captain." "She heard you." Janeway lay on the biobed, her eyes closed, but he knew she wasn't asleep. "Where is the spacial entity now?" "It had disappeared completely from our sensors," Tuvok confirmed. Chakotay sighed. "Am I needed on the bridge right now?" "No Commander," Tuvok almost sounded pitying. "I'll be here in Sickbay." "Yes, sir." A while later, Kathryn woke. She was briefly confused, before realizing that she was in her quarters. The bed creaked as someone sat down on it, then Chakotay leaned over her. He smiled down grimly at her. "How do you feel?" he asked softly. "I hurt," Kathryn said. Chakotay nodded. "The Doctor said the painkillers should be wearing off soon." He was holding a hypospray. Kathryn sat up a bit, "I don't see why I should still hurt." "You shouldn't, but apparently you got a little bumped up when..." Chakotay looked down at the hypospray. "I see," Kathryn rubbed her wrist, "Q wasn't supposed to be so rough on me." Chakotay shrugged. "I know, but, Q is Q," he said, "I suppose he wanted to put on a show." "Pig," Kathryn grumbled to herself. She fell back onto the bed, "I knew I shouldn't have expected this to be easy." Chakotay help up the hypospray. "May I?" "Go ahead," Kathryn nodded. "Does the crew know yet?" She flinched a bit at the sting of the spray. "I don't think so," Chakotay said, "at least not about Q's involvement. I'm sure that it won't be long until the crew knows that he's gone though." "Chakotay, we never even got a chance to name our own son!" Janeway cried, her voice cracking, "its not fair." "I know." Janeway sighed, her eyes beginning to close. Janeway's command voice slipped through her groggy haze. "Chakotay, what was in that hypospray?" she asked. Chakotay grinned wryly. "A little of this, a little of that." "A painkiller and a sedative." "Damn," Janeway swore, her eyes closing. Chakotay waited quietly until her breathing slowed and evened out, then went down to the bridge. END PART THREE From ix.netcom.com!news-peer.sprintlink.net!sprint!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail Fri Apr 18 14:38:38 1997 Path: ix.netcom.com!news-peer.sprintlink.net!sprint!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail From: "Thompson" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: REPOST: Messiah [PG-13] (VOY) 4/9 Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 18:58:58 -0400 Organization: Compaq Lines: 414 Message-ID: <01bc49f0.9a387060$87c61ece@thompson.gnatnet.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup35.gnatnet.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1085 Disclaimer: See Part One Messiah by: Sforzando Part Four Janeway was reluctant to show her face to the crew two days later in the mess hall. She doubted she could face listening to pity from 140 people. Janeway knew that eventually she would either break down into tears or burst out laughing and admit that... Admit what? She wondered to herself. The whole thing was so difficult to even think about, let alone explain. So, she ended up sitting in the mess hall, at her regular table, back to the crowd. After about fifteen minutes, Janeway felt a slight pressure on her shoulder. "May I sit with you?" Torres asked. Janeway nodded, and Torres sat down carefully, across the table. "Did you get enough food?" Janeway asked. "I'm hungry," Torres said with a shrug, "so, how are you this morning?" "Good," Janeway stared down at her plate. "Is it okay to be talking about this?" Torres asked, shifting uncomfortably. Janeway looked up, giving a reassuring smile. "Of course," she said. "You're really the first person not to barge their way into the subject. What do you want to talk about?" Torres bit her lip. "I feel a bit ashamed of myself for making accusations like this," she said after a moment, "but I was checking sensors and going back over the logs.... and I noticed a few strange readings. They were identical to the energy readings the occurred when Q took you off the ship some time last year." Torres looked down ashamedly for a moment. When she looked again, Janeway had paled noticeably. "B'Elanna..." "I didn't tell anyone," Torres said quickly, "I didn't want to start a bad rumor mill." Janeway nodded, swallowing. "Torres, this isn't something to be discussed in the mess hall." "I understand." "Meet me in my ready room at 1500 hrs," Janeway instructed. Kathryn Janeway paced her ready room like a caged animal. She had only a few minutes until Torres was supposed to arrive. She wasn't sure just what to say. Mainly because she knew B'Elanna would tell Harry, and he would have it pried out of him by Tom. Paris would tell someone else and it would spread like wildfire around the shp. She would have to cut the rumor mill off at its source. The door chimed, and Janeway summoned Torres to enter. Her chief engineer seemed even more nervous than Janeway currently felt. Janeway leaned on the edge of her desk. Torres sat in the chair that was offered. "So Torres, how are you?" Janeway asked. Torres released the breathe she had been holding in. "Pretty good." Janeway decided to get to the point. "So, B'Elanna, you want to know what Q had to do with all this." "More or less," Torres said cautiously. She felt like she was stepping into a dark lion's den. "Well..." Janeway tried to find the best place to begin. "Do you remember last year when we saw those supernovas, and the Q's appeared on the ship?" "Yes.." "Well, do you remember when I was taken to the continuum?" "Yes." "Well, after I was returned to Voyager, that night..." Janeway stopped. "That was Q's baby?" Torres said, nearly rising out of her seat. "No, B'Elanna, it wasn't," Janeway assured her. "It was Chakotay's?" "Yes, Chakotay was the father," Janeway reassured, "but Q..." "What did he do?" Torres asked, her voice nearly a whisper. "Q... altered... Chakotay's reproductive genetic structure." "Huh?" Torres looked confused, "how?" Janeway shrugged, "he's Q, he just... did." "And you still kept the baby?" "Yes," Janeway said, "no matter what Q did to it, it was still our child." "I see, I guess," Torres nodded slightly, "but.. why?" "Q wanted to mate with me," Janeway explained, "but I refused. But I also told him that I knew he would find another way to end the war in the continuum." "And he found one." Janeway nodded. "It actually was a difficult decision to make," she admitted, "I didn't know quite what to do. Finally, Chakotay and I decided that I would have the child, but we wouldn't keep it. After the child was born, Q would take it to be raised in the Continuum." "You disowned it." "No," Janeway objected, "I still wanted my son. But it was the best thing to do. We were also faced with explaining everything to the crew." "So you found a way around that," Torres said thoughtfully. Janeway nodded slowly. "We did.". Then she stood, and took a hesitant step toward Torres. "B'Elanna, its important that you not tell anyone about this." "I have to tell Harry, he knows about the energy readings." "I figured that would be the case," Janeway said. "You can tell him, but no one else. The same goes for Harry. And since I know Tom will pry it out of him, tell Harry to tell Paris that if he feels the urge to talk to someone about this, that he can come to me." Torres nodded. "I'll tell him that," she promised. "Anything else?" Torres shook her head. "Alright then, you're free to go." Torres rose from her seat. As she reached the door, she paused. "Captain?" Torres said, "may I ask you something?" "Go ahead." "Do you love Chakotay?" "Yes Torres," Janeway said after a moment, "Yes, I do." Torres nodded slowly again, then turned and went through the parted doors. Janeway sighed, and went around her desk, collapsing into her chair. She rubbed the back of her neck. She wasn't officially on duty again until tomorrow morning, but she was no longer banned from the Bridge. The door chimed again, and before Janeway could answer, Chakotay entered. Janeway gave him a hazy smiled. She rounded the desk and let herself be embraced by Chakotay. After a moment he said, "so, are you feeling ready to return to duty?" "I think so," she said. "So I see you told Torres about Q?" he asked. "Yes," Janeway disentangled herself, "you know Chakotay, B'Elanna asked me something that struck me as a bit odd for her to be asking." "What did she ask?" Chakotay wondered. Janeway paused, staring at him. "She asked me if I love you," Janeway said softly. "What did you tell her?" "I told her yes," Janeway smiled up at him. Chakotay returned her grin. It was always good to be reassured of these things. "Well, that's good, because I have another question for you." "What's that?" "Will you marry me?" Janeway slapped her alarm clock into silence. She shoved the sleeping form next to her. "Come on, wake up, it's your turn this morning," Janeway said. "Oh, who came up with this stupid idea anyway?" Chakotay growled into the pillow. "I think you did," Janeway was already standing, and pulling her robe on. "Why did you let me talk you into it? I hate having to take the shower first," Chakotay sat up, rubbing his neck. "Well, I'll replicate breakfast while you're in the shower," Janeway said, "if you used the sonic shower it wouldn't take so long." Chakotay grunted and went off to take a shower. She heard the water running a few minutes later and smiled to herself. She made sure Chakotay had a uniform to change into, then went to replicate breakfast. "Janeway6," she told the replicator, then retrieved the plate. She set it on the table and returned to the replicator. "Oh, breakfast? Kathy you really shouldn't have," an arrogant voice said, startling Janeway. It took her a moment to regain her composure. She turned slowly to find that Q wasn't alone. Another man, not quite as tall as Q, but who equally exuded the same annoying energy as him, stood cross-armed next to Q. "Q," Janeway held back a sigh, "what do you want?" "Nothing actually." The other man spoke. "I didn't expect her to be this bitter," he said. "Excuse me?" Janeway's hands automatically went to her hips in her defiant how-dare-you-you-little-pig stance. "Um, Kathy," Q moved to stand between them, "I would like you to meet Sage. Sage, meet Kathryn Janeway." "Nice to meet you," Sage sounded a bit condescending. "I'm sure," Janeway said, "Q, might I ask again as to why you are here?" "Why, to introduce you to your son, of course!" Q said, a bit too cheery. Janeway didn't flinch, as if she had been expecting this. Her eyes darted to Sage. "Interesting name," she smiled a bit, her arms falling from her sides. "Short for Sagittarius," Sage added. Janeway heard the water in the bathroom shut off, and raised a hand. "If you'll excuse me for a minute." Q and Sage looked at one another, then nodded. Janeway quickly ran to the bathroom, and nearly pulled the door shut. She pressed her back against the door and keyed the lock, even though it matter little. "What's wrong?" Chakotay asked, a bit surprised. Janeway had the frantic look of a deer caught in the headlights. She swallowed a few times and her breathing slowed. Janeway closed her eyes and leaned her head in the door. "He's here," she said softly. Chakotay was confused as to what would get his wife so worked up. "Who? Who's here?" he asked. He wiggled into his uniform bottom. "Our son," she whispered. "What?!" Chakotay nearly yelled. "He's here," Janeway repeated, "Q brought him. And Chakotay, he's... old." "Old?" "Well, not old, but he's not a little one year old baby like he should be," she said, "I mean, he looks like a teenager or something." Chakotay shook his head as he pulled his jacket on. "Let me guess," he said, "he wants to meet me." "I'm not sure he knows you're here." "Well, I rather you not be out there with them alone again." "Don't you trust me?" Janeway half smiled. "I don't trust them," Chakotay said as he keyed the lock. The door opened, and Janeway, somewhat timidly, led Chakotay out into the sitting room. As they went, Chakotay leaned over and whispered into Janeway's ear. "How can you be so sure that it is our son?" he asked. Janeway shook her head. "I'm not." Q and Sage turned as the couple entered the sitting room. "Who's he?" Sage scowled suspiciously. "This," Janeway made a somewhat protective motion in Chakotay's direction, "is my husband, Chakotay." Sage looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. Q said something quietly to Sage, who's eyes widened as he glanced at Chakotay. Then he nodded again. "I knew that," Sage said, "I just didn't recognize him." Q sighed and shook his head. Sage look from one half father to another and then to his mother. He smiled. "Do I have any other siblings?" Sage asked. "No," Chakotay squeaked. Sage smiled again, a bit sillily, at his half father's discomfort. "It has only been a year," Janeway said. "Oh, yes, I forgot, different time lines," Sage chuckled. "How old are you, Sage?" Janeway asked. "22," Sage replied. "It's just a bit confusing," Q apologized, "you see, while you've progressed one year on this time line, I've been lugging this kid around for twenty-two years." "I didn't realize," Janeway said. Her emotions were mixed, torn between suspicion and elation, even thought she had before said she never wanted to see Q or her son again. Q was obviously trying to lighten a tense situation. It was beginning to work, she supposed. "Well, Kathryn, um," Q turned to Sage, "could you excuse us? Come back in a minute." "Sure thing," Sage snapped his fingers. In a flash, he was gone. Janeway blinked in surprise. Q turned back to them. "Kathryn, Chakotay, um, well, I know you said you did want Sage in your life," Q said, a bit uncomfortable, "but I need a break. I've been toting him around for 22 years, and even though he's still important to our society..." "You want us to keep him for a while," Janeway said. "A year." "A *year*?" Janeway lost her cool, "are you crazy?" "Kathryn, if you two don't want to do this, you don't have to," Q said, "but he seemed to want to know more about human lifestyles, for some reason. I don't know why." Janeway looked at Chakotay. He nodded slightly, then made a cutting motion. "Okay," Janeway said, "but for half a year." "A year." "Nine months." "Fine," Q snapped his fingers, and a padd appeared in his hand. A slightly frantic look appeared on his face, "you need to read this. There are things, though a bit unsettling, that you *need* to know." He pressed the padd into's Janeway's hands. "I'll read it." "You might hide this for safety," Q said, "he won't be happy if he finds it." Janeway nodded, and tucked the padd into her robe. What was she getting into? she wondered. "So, Sage." She slid the padd Q had given her under a pile of clothes in her drawer. She had used the excuse of changing to hide the padd. Her hand went over the surface of her dressing table next, and collected her pips, before turning to her son. It was a bit difficult to think of Sage as that, he was really just a stranger, claiming to be her son. She needed some sort of proof. Maybe she could lure him down to Sickbay, and find a way to do some sort of genetic scan. She wanted to trust him, her aching heart told her to, so she would have to for the time being. "Do you eat?" Janeway asked. "Yes, of course." "Well, your popping in caused me to miss my breakfast," Janeway pinned on her commbadge. Chakotay had eaten the breakfast she had replicated. "And I'm late for duty. But, if you're hungry, I can take you down to the mess hall." "I can make my own food." "I'm sure you can," Janeway said, "but maybe you'd like to try some real home cooking. Neelix's food is very... interesting." "So I've heard," Sage smiled. "Alright, you win. Maybe I need to be mothered a little. By the way, what do you want me to call you?" "Mother, or mom will do, but when I'm on duty, I am the Captain." "Alright," Sage followed Janeway to the door, "what should I call Chakotay?" "Well, he's your father, more rightfully so than Q, though Q is too." "I know about that." He probably knew that she didn't want him either. So why was he still so strainingly nice? She'd have to find out later. "I suppose you can call him whatever feels best, but call him Commander when he's on duty." "You don't," Sage smirked. Janeway sighed, what had Q been teaching him all these years? How to push his mother's buttons was probably high on the list. She suddenly, for a brief moment, felt very old. "That's true," she said, "but I'm the Captain, and I can call him whatever I want." "Even 'Mr. Studly First Officer'?" Sage asked, grinning. Janeway wondered who he had heard that from. "Yes, even that." Sage looked thoughtful. For someone who had been raised by a race of omniscient beings, he sure had a lot of questions. "When did you get married?" He was like an over inquisitive child. "Six months ago," Janeway said, "how old were you six months ago?" There was a hint of mockery in her voice, but Sage missed it. "Nine," he said, "I think six months ago I was visiting a colony in the Alpha Quadrant." They stepped onto a turbolift. "Mess hall," Janeway instructed, "what were you doing in the Alpha Quadrant? I would have thought Q would have taken you someplace more interesting." "Well, the Alpha Quadrant does have its interesting points, few as they may be," Sage said dryly, "but father said something about learning about the people I was related to. Ancient humans were very strange." "I suppose," Janeway said. She had met some. "And then I had to read four months of Vulcan poetry." "A bit too dry for you?" Janeway smiled at Sage's grimace. "Simple words are complex within their simplicity," Sage said, "and Vulcans take the cake." "I have to agree." "I found human literature a bit too light," Sage commented, "too much dialog." "I always thought that the words make the story," Janeway said. "They do, but not when they're coming out of some air head's mouth." The turbolift stopped, and Janeway led the rest of the way down the hall. "So where is Daddy-O right now?" "Daddy-O? I assume you mean Chakotay," said Janeway. "Yep," Sage eyed Neelix as they entered the mess hall. "He's on duty, like I should be," Janeway noticed a few curious gazes from people sitting at the tables. "He's trying to find you some quarters." Sage nodded. "Ah, good morning Captain," Neelix burbled, "oh, have we a new crewmember?" "Um, yes," Janeway heard Paris snicker across the room. "Neelix, this is Sage. Sage, this is Neelix, our chief morale officer and ambassador." "I wish people would notify me when we get new crewmembers," the Doctor's head appeared from behind a counter. "Well, he hasn't been here long," Janeway said. The Doctor stood, shaking his head. "Well, bring him and his records down as soon as you can," the Doctor ordered, "I'll be back in Sickbay as soon as I finish checking the health guidelines here." "We'll do that Doctor," Janeway said. She and Sage took trays and she led him to her regular table. As she passed his table, Janeway set a hand on Paris's shoulder. "Shouldn't you be on duty, Mr. Paris?" Janeway asked. He gave her a look that said "shouldn't you?". "I got the morning off." Janeway just grunted, then sat down. "So who was he?" asked Sage. "Tom Paris, our pilot," said Janeway. She forked her Triolein eggs. "Why did Q name you Sagittarius?" "I'm not sure," Sage admitted, "I guess he just like the name." "I assumed he'd just give you a letter and be done with it," sighed Janeway, "I'm sorry he didn't even bother asking what we wanted your name to be. We're your parents too." "He probably didn't ask because he knew that you didn't know," Sage said. "You don't like my name?" "I didn't say that." "I know," Sage said, "just being bitter again." "I can't help it," Janeway tried to defend herself. "He never mentioned being bitter," Sage said lightly, "stubborn, headstrong, smart, gracious, witty, faithful, loving, beautiful, compassionate, he said you were all of those things. But never bitter." "How much did Q talk about me?" Janeway asked. "Too much," sighed Sage," at least every other day he'd say something. Kathy this, mother that, he'd drive me crazy telling about how you helped that other Q. Somehow he seemed to know more about you than even Daddy-O does." "I wish you wouldn't call him that," sighed Janeway. "Sometimes he could come up with a reference of you nearly everywhere we went, even at places where you've never been. Sometimes it almost seemed like you were there." A bit of sadness flickered across Sage's face. "I'm sorry, Sage," Janeway said, "I'm sorry that I made Q take you, but... at the time, I wasn't..." "You weren't thinking, I know." "So what have you been doing lately in the Continuum?" "I've become something of a mascot," Sage said, "I have to go to all the meetings and stuff." Janeway heard the slight tentative edge to his voice, and knew he wasn't telling the whole truth. She'd have to make it a point to read the padd Q had given her. She had the distinct feeling that she was being lured into a trap. Janeway set her fork down on her plate, "well, I need to get to the bridge." Sage nodded. "Um, where should I go?" Janeway looked thoughtful. "You can go down to Sickbay," she said, "tell the Doctor that you don't have any available records, and that I'll explain it to him later. If he feel the need to give you a physical, just let him. Do you know how to get to Sickbay?" Sage nodded. "I should be able to keep myself occupied for a while." "Just don't damage anything," Janeway said. Sage grinned, and with a snap he was gone. Janeway sighed, and leaned back. "So Chakotay, have you found a room for our 'guest'?" Janeway asked as she called him into her ready room. "Yep, two decks below ours," Chakotay said, "what's that?" He motioned to the report in her hand. "I'm trying to write a report to explain the situation with Sage," Janeway explained. "Have you had a chance to look at the report Q gave you?" Chakotay asked. "No," Janeway sighed, "I've been too busy. But I'm beginning to have my doubts about Sage." "Do you think its really him?" Chakotay asked. "Yes, I'm pretty sure it is him, but, something makes me a bit unsure about him." She frowned. "I'm finding it difficult to buy his honesty." She shrugged, "I need to read that report." "Tonight?" "Yeah," a smiled ghosted her face, "have you heard from the Doctor recently?" "A while ago," Chakotay said, "he said something about being the last to hear about anything and not getting his records." "As soon as I finish this I'm going to have to go down there," Janeway said. "So, Doc," Janeway called as she entered Sickbay, "how's Sage checking out?" "He seems to be healthy," the Doctor was holding Sage's wrist. "I better be," Sage said, "you've run nearly every test in the book on me." "I'm making up a record for him, but I need his complete name," the Doctor said, "and I need to show you something, Captain." He led her over into his office, and called up something on the screen. "I was running genotype scans, and noticed that his blood carried three genetic variables instead of two. And there's an enzyme imbalance. I can't explain it, except that it seems Sage has three parents." "Have you determined who they are?" Janeway asked. "Not as yet," the Doctor said. Janeway gave him the padd with her report. "You need to read this." The Doctor nodded. "And about his full name, do you know it?" Janeway paused before answering. "His name is Sagittarius Janeway." The Doctor's eyes widened, and looked out the window into the main room, where Sage sat fiddling with a medical tricorder. "He's your... son?" "I think the genetic scans will show that," Janeway said. "But, he should only be a year old," the Doctor protested, "and the father..." "Chakotay is the father, but..." she motioned to the padd again, "just read the report. It'll explain everything." The Doctor sighed. "As you wish, Captain," he said. Janeway nodded slightly. Now if only *she* could fully understand everything as well. END PART FOUR From ix.netcom.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail Fri Apr 18 14:38:53 1997 Path: ix.netcom.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!su-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!xfer.kren.nm.kr!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail From: "Thompson" Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW: Messiah [PG-13] (VOY) 5/9 Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 18:59:58 -0400 Organization: Compaq Lines: 384 Message-ID: <01bc49f0.bddeb880$87c61ece@thompson.gnatnet.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: dialup35.gnatnet.net X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1085 Disclaimers: See Part One Messiah by: Sforzando Part Five Janeway yawned, and rubbed her eyes. Her mind swam through the massive amount of information that she had put upon herself to read. This was too much, she decided, setting the padd down. She could hear Chakotay stir in the next room. The chronometer on her desk read 02:07, she had been reading for five hours. Her stomach turned as she thought again. It was incredible. It was awful. It was just plain terrible what Sage was doing. At least, according to Q. Was that why he had brought Sage to Voyager? To try to keep him out of the Continuum? If Q was half the Q she knew he was, he would know that dumping his son with his mother wouldn't keep Sage out of the Continuum. Out of influence. When Sage was born, the war in the Continuum ended. It literally fell apart. Q admitted that he wasn't quite sure why. Sage had somehow given the leaders of the warring groups a reason to stop fighting. True to what he had said before, Q had dragged Sage around the universe for the first 17 years of his life. There was peace. But then things began to change. The view of Sage in the Continuum changed from simply seeing him as a "mascot for peace" to pure adoration. Hell, they were worshiping him. These near gods were treating Sage like he *was* a god. They followed his every order, wrote songs and stories and poetry about him, they even prayed to him. The members of the Continuum somehow were being brainwashed. And Sage accepted this. He encouraged it, in fact. Sage was their Messiah, he was their God. And they believed it. Sage gave great speeches and commentaries about the greatness of the Continuum. In five short years, a mere nanosecond in the everlasting Q existence, Sage had become the idol of thousands of all powerful immortal being. And he wasn't even one of them. He was all they spoke about. They did everything he wanted done, even wiped out whole civilizations under one of Sage's whims. Janeway felt she had every right in the universe and all its dimensions to hate Sage. But she had to love him Because he was her son. She need to talk to Sage. Making sure Chakotay was still asleep, she asked the computer of his whereabouts. "Computer, locate Sagittarius Janeway," she put the padd in a drawer. "Sagittarius Janeway is not onboard," the computer replied. Janeway sighed. "See? I told you he can't be trusted," Q appeared in front of her. "Q," Janeway said, "where'd he go?" "To another of his meetings, I suppose," Q said, "Sage has the uncanny ability to make himself impossible to track. I'm not quite sure where he is. I suppose he is at the Hall." "The Hall?" Janeway echoed. "A row of stars in the Chinnesa Galaxy-" "Chinnesa Galaxy?" "Its very, very far away from the Milky Way Galaxy," Q said, "its probably not even visible as a star from here. But that's not the point. The Hall is where all the Q go to hear Sage speak." "Will he come back?" Janeway asked. "I suppose so," said Q, "he thinks you're asleep right now, and will pop back in some time before morning. He doesn't want you to get suspicious." "Why doesn't he just return to the same point in time as when he left?" Janeway asked. Q shrugged. "That's one of the few things he can't do." "Because he's not fully Q?" "Yes. He can move to anywhere in the universe during the continuing time line. But he can't move around in or out of time," Q said. "But couldn't he get another Q to take him?" "Yes, it's certainly possible," Q said, "but he won't, you'll see." And at that, he was gone. Janeway sighed, and went to bed. The next morning, Sage was sitting placidly on Janeway's desk, holding a picture. "Who's he?" asked Sage, pointing to the picture. "You know who he is," Janeway sighed tiredly, going over to a monitor on the wall. She keyed it and the Doctor appeared on the monitor. "Are you busy Doctor?" Janeway asked. "No, I'm just finishing up my subroutine check," the Doctor said. "Do you think you spare the time to see me this morning?" "Of course," the Doctor said, "at what time?" "About an hour from now.". "All right." She turned the monitor off. "Are you alright?" Sage asked, concern creasing his delicate features. "I'm fine," Janeway turned to go back into the bedroom. Sage frowned watching her go. He heard Chakotay mumble something, but didn't bother listening. "I'm pregnant," Janeway said, staring at the Doctor. "Yes, that's right." "I'm pregnant, again," Janeway said, "great, I've spawned another holy terror." She laid back on the biobed. Chakotay sighed. "I've determined that there are only two genetic factors present," the Doctor reported. "That's good." The doors to Sickbay opened, and Sage silently entered. He took in the various expression of the people in the room, and smiled. "You're pregnant?" It was a statement, not a question. "Yes," Janeway said quietly from the bed. Sage nodded, then quickly turned on his heel and left Sickbay. "He took that well," Chakotay said. "I'm not sure he did," Janeway frowned. "I feel like I'm running a day care center," Paris complained. "Oh, mi little bon bon, don't worry, I am here to help," Sandrine cooed, carrying Stacey Pandelin's baby. The hologram grinned at Paris. Five other babies at various ages were also in the holodeck. Nicky Pandelin was 7 months old, and Shelby and Samantha Kim were both five months old. Mike Troja and Susie Pjo were two and three months old. Little Rosie was nearly two years old. And several more were on the way. Getting pregnant seemed the thing to be doing among the women on the ship, Paris thought wryly. "How did I get stuck doing this?" "Ah, you didn't get stuck," Ensign Smith crooned, "you volunteered, 'cause you're such a nice guy." "And you're starting to scare me," Bathas said, "didn't you forget, Paris isn't nice." The two women giggled. "Oh great, now you're trying to deface me," Paris said, "I can't even get a good start with the babies." "Oh please Tom," Amy said, "you know they like you." "Is drool a sign of that?" Paris asked, "if it is, than Shelby really likes me." The baby burbled at him. "Well, would you rather be doing this or playing pool?" Sandrine asked. Paris looked down at the baby in his arms, his best friends' daughter, and smiled. "I don't know," he said, "but I think I've found an easy way to meet women." "Silly man, zey will not be women for many years," Sandrine set Nicky back in his crib, "when zey are older, maybe they will be smarter too, and keep away from dirty old men." "I know," Paris grinned, "but it's a start." "Well, if the captain has a daughter, you better not hit on her," Bathas noted. "Do you think I lack all decency?" Paris let Sandrine take Shelby. "I wouldn't put it past you." "You people are too cruel," Paris said, "luckily, I have to meet Chakotay in Engineering to help with systems checks." Paris scurried out of the holodeck before the women could make any more smart-aleck remarks. "Yeah, we're going to have to stop at the Kinmeko system soon, to get more nutrients for the cooling system," Chakotay sighed a few hours later, wiping the green gel off his fingers. Torres was swearing quietly. "We just fixed these things four months ago," she was nearly whining, "and two months before that, and six before that." She sighed. "We need to find a better source of the gel nutrients, these keep degrading too quickly." "I'm on my way to the Bridge, I'll tell the Captain," Paris said. Chakotay nodded. Torres was checking the relays again. "For some reason the degradation of the cooling gel is causing the conduits around the cooling area to loose integrity in the intra structure," Torres said, "it happened last year, and its been a recurring problem since then. The cooling gel needs to be completely replaced, but we don't have enough to do that." "What will happen if its not replaced?" Paris asked. "Well, the problem will keep occurring," Torres mumbled, "and eventually we'll have to end up replacing the conduits next to it, and the panels next to the conduits. Not to mention that the cooling gel makes a mess whenever there's a leak." "I see," Paris said, "and you think we'll be able to find what we need in the Kinmeko system?" "I guess," Chakotay said. Paris stood. "Well, if I stay, I'll be late, so I'm off," he said, and took B'Elanna's report with him. Sage fell into step next to Paris as he walked down the corridor. "Hey, um, Tom." "Yes?" "Can I ask you something?" "Sure, go ahead," Paris said. He was a bit curious about Sage, but Janeway had remained pretty closed lipped about him. "Have you ever been jealous?" "Jealous? Yeah, sure," Paris said. "I mean really jealous, enough to want to kill someone." Paris paused for a moment in midstep. "Um, well, yeah, once." "What did you do about it?" Sage wondered. "I... I talked with the guy, and we worked things out," Paris said. "What if you can't talk to him?" Sage asked. "Well," Paris thought, "I suppose I'd stop and take the time to think about it." "Would you kill the person?" Paris wondered if this was a trick question. "Only if I wasn't thinking clearly, or being an idiot." Sage nodded. "Thanks." He turned away. "Sage?" He stopped. "Yeah?" "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine," Sage said. Paris gave a reluctant nod, then continued to the Bridge. The shuttle craft was slowly moving away from Kinmeka Prime, when the alarms went off. "What's wrong?" asked Janeway. Sage was looking out the window. "I'm not sure," Paris said. Then, "I'm picking up a Kinmekan ship. Its weapons are powered." "Hail them," Janeway said. The ensign next to Paris nodded. "Channel open," she announced. "Captain, their weapons are locked on us," Paris whispered. "This is Captain Janeway to the Kinmekan ship, would you pleased tell us why you have your weapons locked on us?" Janeway leaned over a console. "There's no response," the ensign said. The shuttle shook. "They've opened fire," Paris said needlessly. "Return fire!" "Returning fi-" the ensign was cut off by a loud shrieking, and the main console exploded. The shuttle craft shook violently to port, then stilled. "Commander! A Kinmekan ship is opening fire on the shuttlecraft!" Ensign Kim's voice cut the quiet of the bridge, "the shuttle's main systems just went off line, I think a power line ruptured." "What about-" "Life signs are minimal." "Beam them to Sickbay," Chakotay ordered, "and get the shuttlecraft in. Get us out of here as soon as we've got the shuttle. I'll be in Sickbay." "Doctor, report!" Chakotay entered Sickbay. "The Captain and Lt. Paris suffered minor burns, and a few other injuries," the Doctor said, "Ensign Killontha suffered more severe burns, but we've stabilized her." The Doctor look a bit flustered. "But Mr. Sage..." The Doctor nodded over to Sage. The young man was completely without injuries, and sat staring sullenly at the floor. Chakotay nodded. "What about the Captain?" "Well, she had burns on her arms and face," the Doctor lead Chakotay over to the biobed, where Janeway lay, her lids hooded. "Don't feel too good," she said as they approached. "That's with reason," the Doctor said. Janeway sat up, coughing hard. She wiped at her mouth, her hand smearing with blood. The Doctor frowned. "In addition to the burns, you've also got some minor internal bleeding." "Minor?" Chakotay said. "I'm already working on it." Janeway coughed again. The Doctor ran his medical tricorder over Janeway's midsection. His frowned deepened. "What's wrong?" Janeway asked, wiping the blood from her mouth again. "Captain, your baby..." the Doctor hesitated. "What about it?" Janeway nearly whispered. "Its not showing any life signs," the Doctor said. Janeway paled. "How did this happen?" Chakotay asked hoarsely. "I'm not sure, it should be fine," the Doctor objected. Janeway lay back on the biobed. "This can't be happening," she moaned quietly, "not again." "Is there anything you can do?" Chakotay asked. The Doctor shook his head. "I'm afraid not." Chakotay sighed, holding Janeway's trembling hand. Her skin was dry and hot, from the burns she had sustained earlier. Something wasn't right about this. Janeway was silent, withdrawn, on the Bridge two days later. She glared sullenly at the back of Paris's chair. Paris was nervous under the gaze. The captain had lost her baby, and the whole crew knew it. And it was partially Paris's fault that they knew. His hand still hurt a little from where it had been burned. The silence on the Bridge was horrible. Janeway sat silently, and Chakotay was in Engineering. And no one else was talking. Paris cast a short glance over his shoulder. He couldn't tell whether she was angry or just that sad. Finally the silence broke. "Sickbay to Captain Janeway." She sighed. "Yes Doctor, what is it?" "I have something down here that I think you need to see," the Doctor said. Janeway sighed again. "Alright, I'll be down in a minute." "Doctor out." "Mr. Paris, you have the Bridge, I'll be down in Sickbay," Janeway rose from her chair. "Aye, Captain." "What have you found, Doctor?" Janeway asked. "I was going over the scans I did of you from the other day," the Doctor said. He brought up an image on a monitor. It showed what looked like a dimpled worm. "What is it?" "This was your baby, magnified several hundred times," the Doctor told her, "I found something that I had missed in the original scans, mainly because I was looking for it." He pointed to a small string coming off the 'worm'. "What is it?" Janeway repeated the earlier question. "The umbilical cord," the Doctor enlarged the image further, "it appears that somehow the umbilical cord was severed, resulting in death." Janeway stared at him like he had grown a second head. "The strange thing is that in order for something like this to happen, there had to be a great deal of tissue damage in the surrounding area," the Doctor said, "but there is no other damage there. It appears as if this was intentional." "Intentional?" Janeway said to herself, "that doesn't make any sense. How..." "I don't know," the Doctor said, "the baby was fine when I checked you before you left. The only other people who had come into contact with you since then were Lt. Tuvok, Lt. Paris, Lt. Torres, Commander Chakotay, Ensign Killontha and-" "Sage." Janeway realized that she didn't know where he was. "I have to go, Doctor." "But-" "I'll be back soon," Janeway was already heading for the door. When Janeway entered her quarters, she found who she had been looking for. "You," she growled, "this is all your fault." "My fault?" Q appeared to be hurt, "what do you mean?" "Sage. He, he, he killed my baby!" Janeway barely controlled herself. "And you, what's your part in this?" "My part?" Q said, "I'm not sure what you mean. I had nothing to do with what he did. Whatever he did." Janeway swallowed. "But I'm afraid we have more pressing matters to tend to. We have to go." "Go? Go where?" her questions vanished with Q's snap of his fingers. The materialized in a poorly lit room, behind a curtain. "Q, where are we?" Janeway whispered. "The Hall," Q said. "What-" Janeway began to question, but Q set a finger to her lips. "Shh," he said, "you're not supposed to be here. Neither am I really." "Then why am I here?" Janeway wondered. "You need to hear what your son is saying," Q whispered, "just listen for a minute." Janeway finally relented, and nodded. They sat on the cold floor, and strained to hear. "The Discreation has begun," Sage's voice echoed and boomed oddly, "we have started in point one and are working our way across the universe. I believe everyone has their orders. Right now the Centa Squad has destroyed the systems in sector A1 and A2. The Eastern Hijor Galaxy should be completely destroyed in five weeks, due to problems being found. We're going to continue on this linear plan simply for organization's sake. I want the nine other squads to continue their starts at sectors B3, B5, C6, D2, E1, E5, E7, F3, and H9, as were planned." Janeway turned and gaped at Q, who was still listening intently, but cocked his head in a 'I'm sorry about this' gesture when he noted her look. Janeway went back to listening. "... reach the pre-arranged convergence coordinates, here in sector I1, in approximately eight linear years. Unfortunately some unforseen problems have come up, and we're going to have to do this the old way, star system at a time. We'll leave this sector alone, so we'll have a meeting place. From here in I1 we'll work on the other half of the universe, squads starting at sectors I2, J1, K1, K5, L1, L3, M1, M3, M8, and N3." Sage droned on like he was giving any military orders, not orders on destroying the universe. "I hope you all are remembering this, I'm not going to repeat it for the fourth time." Q was dragging Janeway to her feet, towards the edge of the curtain. She was putting up a slight struggle, not really wanting to go out there. "Any questions?" Someone apparently asked something, because Sage chuckled and continued talking, "sector N19? No, Q, dear, the destruction of that sector is my privilege. Yes, I know you all want to help in torturing those stupid Vulcans, and Romulans, and Cards's, and Terrans-" he nearly spit the term, "-and other folks, but I want to be the one who gets to. Sorry dear. But you get the Andromeda's, don't you? Then don't complain." There was mild laughter at this. Janeway frowned at Q as they reached the edge of the curtain. She realized that 'Sector N19' was the Milky Way Galaxy, or at least the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. She shivered slightly. He wanted the joy of doing in her people. "Now, just stay behind me," whispered Q as they emerged from the curtain. Janeway nodded, following Q carefully. They stepped into a room full of tables arranged like the spokes of a wheel. In the center of the room a lone figure stood on a elaborate platform. It was Sage. Sage looked out over the crowd. A smiled crossed his face as he spotted someone. "Ah, and I see my father has joined us this fine evening," Sage said. Far at the end of the hall, Q cocked his head. From the stage, Janeway was as yet invisible. "Yes, I have," Q said. "Why I don't know," Sage nearly growled, "you're not exactly one of my followers." "True," Q raised a brow, "but I brought along someone to hear your little speech." "Speech? I was giving orders, which probably you shouldn't have heard," Sage sneered, "probably going to go run off and warn your pitiful little friends." It took a strong will to ignore this, Q simply shook his head, "I told you, I brought someone along with me." "Who?" Sage seemed strangely curious. Q stepped aside, to reveal Janeway, who was standing with her arms crossed, scowling. The murmuring of the crowd increased; could they smell the mortal blood in her veins? The surprised expression on Sage's face only lasted a second, and then he smiled. "And you brought mother along, I see," Sage said, "how pleasant." The look he said her said 'would you mind leaving.' "Yes, she expressed her concern about your whereabouts," Q gave his son a smile that belied his intelligence. "Its good to see you Mother," Sage ignored Janeway's posture that clearly the feeling wasn't mutual and that she was pissed off. "Would you care to say something to the Assembly before I send them off to destroy your little mortal universe?" Sage asked. Janeway clearly didn't want to, but Q whispered something into her ear. She nodded. They reappeared at the center of the room, standing next to Sage. What looked like a microphone appeared in Sage's hand. But instead of handing it to Janeway, it landed with a crack against the back of her skull, and she crumpled to the floor. His eyes angrily blazing, Q took them away. END PART FIVE From ix.netcom.com!news-peer.sprintlink.net!sprint!news-west.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!news-stk-3.sprintlink.net!news.gate.net!not-for-mail Fri Apr 18 14:38:55 1997 Path: ix.netcom.com!news-peer.sprintlink.net!sprint!news-west.s