Reality of the Other by Tail-Kinker and RoKanna
	Author's Note: This story takes place some time after "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Season 5) "The reality of the other lies not in what he reveals to you but in what he cannot reveal to you. Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says but rather what he does not say." ~ Kahlil Gibran Prologue Voyager hurried through the dark expanse, taunting the stars with her freedom, challenging them with her speed, but there were no rivals. On this day, like so many others, the Delta Quadrant was silent. There were none her equal. Her victory was empty. Kathryn Janeway watched their progress through her window, as she had so many nights before. Her Captain's quarters sat empty behind her. The warm reflection of a single candle gave life to her room and bathed her face with its soft glow. Inhaling softly, she turned her thoughts inward but was interrputed by the low chime of the door. "Come," she whispered. She watched the window's reflection as her first officer stepped through the door. He waited patiently for a heartbeat, his presence permeating the room. Kathryn turned slowly and smiled. "Is that wine, Chakotay?" Her eyes sparkled with surprise. Chakotay lifted a twisted bottle and wiped his hand over the label, squinting for a moment at the alien print. "Neelix says its even better than wine." He tried to stifle a grin as he placed it gingerly on the table. Kathryn raised a disbelieving eyebrow as they both took a seat. Their quiet dinners were something they both looked forward to every week. The chance to reflect on their experiences, discuss the crew... victimize each other with exotic foods. Chakotay popped the cork on the wine. Steam lingered from the top of the open bottle and they both looked at it with mouths agape. He began to fill her glass but stopped abruptly as the silver liquid began to congeal. Small metallic looking threads rose through the liquid, twisting like seaweed in a current. Chakotay tugged at his ear and motioned to the glass, "Ladies first." Not one to shirk an obvious challenge, Kathryn unhesitatingly lifted the glass to her lips and took a large gulp. She froze for a moment forcing back a cough but her right eye twitched suddenly and gave her away. "You'll have to take any complaints up with Naomi Wildman. As the Captain's personal assistant, she took it upon herself to choose this ...um..," he picked the bottle up again and twisted it in his fingers, "..year?" Chakotay removed both bottle and glass from the table and placed them in the replicator slot. Once he was seated again, they lifted the platinum lids from their plates in nearly synchronized motion. After a few bites, Chakotay set his fork down and adjusted the napkin in his lap. "It must be difficult for Naomi, not having children her own age to relate to. She is the perfect example that other crewmembers could raise children on Voyager. Putting that aside, I think she's lonely." Kathryn's fork hit the plate bruskly and she looked directly into Chakotay's eyes. "We've had this discussion before, Chakotay. Having children on Voyager is impractical, not to mention unfair to the child," she paused and motioned to the window. "Living among hostile aliens. No place for them to play. No true place for them to call home. Who will tend to them when the ship is under attack? What kind of life would we be giving them but a desperate legacy to journey to a place that only we call home?" They both looked at their half eaten meals. The candle's flame created a line across the table. Two sides of a debate with no definite right or wrong, only opinion... and rank proved to be the deciding factor. Janeway pursed her lips and offered a token. "The Doctor and I have been discussing methods to prolong our own lives. Things are still on the drawing board but with the Doctor's vast knowledge..." Chakotay interrupted, "Self-propogation is the natural way of life," his voice was soft, "it is at the core of our very souls, the nature of our beings to propogate our species. How do you propose to supress the natural urges of the crew? ...To deny them their innate desire for offspring? It is the natural continuation of life and by the time Voyager makes it home, many of us will have missed our chance." He leaned forward in his seat, locking his eyes with hers. Kathryn met his gaze. "If the Doctor is successful in promoting our lifespans, we could have the best of both worlds. Time enough to explore the Delta Quadrant and still be young enough to enjoy being home." Chakotay sighed, glancing at the candle and up again into Kathryn's face. "All our legends about prolonged life tend to end... " Her combadge chirped loudly and Harry Kim's voice filled the room. "Captain to the Bridge." As usual Janeway vaulted up and headed for the door. Throwing his napkin onto the table, Chakotay tried to ignore his defeat. "...badly, they tend to end badly." he finished his point to the empty room. Chapter 1 The Other Janeway strode onto the bridge as Lieutenant Harry Kim bolted from the Captain's seat and took his place at Operations. "Report," she barked as she came to stand in front of Kim's workstation. "We've detected a Class M planet less than two light years away. Long range sensors report it to be highly hospitable with lush vegetation and uninhabited." Harry smiled and his enthusiasm was catching. "Lay in a course, maximum warp." Janeway smiled and took her seat, still smiling as Chakotay entered the bridge and sat next to her. "It'll be good to breathe some fresh air," she offered delicately and rested her chin on her hand, "and Neelix will love finding new... delicacies?" Chakotay cocked his head in a half-nod and pursed his lips. Kathryn knew what he was thinking and was glad he kept his comments to himself. The planet may be beautiful and a short shore leave would be welcomed by all onboard, but there was no chance they'd stay for long. Voyager slowed into orbit around a swirling blue-green planet that was smattered with pinkish clouds. The bridge crew sat quietly for a moment, drinking in a sight that was so close to the one they called home. Lieutenant Paris sat at the helm, letting his gaze drift down the curve of a continent's edge, dreaming of sandy beaches and warm sunshine on his face. He could hear the laughter of a woman playing in the surf, but the glare of the sun off the water kept his eyes from seeing her face. He wondered if B'Elanna could swim. His daydream was abruptly shattered by the Captain's voice. "Scan again for life signs, Mr Kim." Janeway looked over her shoulder at Operations. Harry Kim rested his hands on his station and smiled down at her. "No lifesigns detected. However there are some ancient constructions... Could be buildings." "It appears they have deteriorated from non-use," Tuvok stated, "I'm also picking up sporadic energy readings." "Dilithium?" Janeway sounded hopeful. "Unknown, Captain." Tuvok continued his scans. Janeway stood, crossing her arms. "We're going to do a bit of exploring before I authorize shore leave." "We?" Chakotay looked pensive. "That's right. Commander," Janeway smiled, "I intend to join the away team. You, Lieutenant Torres and Security meet me in Transporter Room One. You have the bridge, Tuvok." She walked past Chakotay and onto the turbolift before he could question her decision. The away team materialized in the middle of what was once a grand garden square. Withered vines clung to cracking metallic walls, the ground was soggy with green algae beneath their feet, and dried leaves clung to the tall trees, rasping in a light breeze. The scenery reminded Chakotay of the Mayan Ruins of South America he had once visited on a school outing. He smiled with the memory, when all of a sudden a strange sound brought him back to the present. "Did you hear that?" Chakotay whispered, flicking open his tricorder and swinging his arm around for a quick scan. Janeway and B'Elanna cocked their heads, listening intently, while the two security officers reached for their phasers. A light breeze rustled the leaves again, and the sun's rays broke from behind grey clouds, but the gardens remained dim, shadowed by the surrounding buildings. B'Elanna Torres and Captain Janeway glanced at each other, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the dark surroundings. "And I thought Klingons were the paranoid ones," B'Elanna quipped, grinning. Janeway listened to the rustling of the leaves and the far-off sound of birds - if they were birds - and took a deep breath of the scented air. Smiling, she looked around and took a step towards the buildings. "Looks perfectly peaceful to me, Chakotay. Want to go exploring?" Chakotay remained serious as another breeze swept over them. The hair on the back of his neck raised and he noticed the Security guards were alarmed as well. He raised his tricorder, aiming it at a half open doorway across the square. Its blue metallic door hung from its hinges and swung slightly in the wind. "I'm getting strange energy readings. I can't identify them, but they fluctuate all around us." Chakotay tensed, noticing Torres' and Janeway's unusual lack of concern. Janeway lifted her tricorder to patronize him, and picked up the readings as well. "Some sort of power matrix that used to power the city perhaps? Left behind by whomever it was that built this." B'Elanna poured over the readings for a moment too. "I agree with the Captain. This planet may pan out to have even better resources than we imagined," her mind whirled with ideas and she began to walk carefully toward the doorway across the square, trying not to slip. "We may even be able to find a way to convert the energy to a..." Her voice drifted into the wind as she stepped through the crumbled arch and out of sight. The rest of the away team followed. Shaking his head and frowning, Chakotay brought up the rear. Harry Kim monitored the Away Team's transport from Ops. "They've materialized safely on the surface, Mr Tuvok." Lieutenant Tuvok sat rigidly in the Command chair. "Understood, Mr Kim. Keep me informed of..." "Sir! Their lifesigns have disappeared!" Harry's fingers worked the console, digging for answers. "Explain," Tuvok's tone was flat and he rose from the chair to join Kim behind his station. They both stood, peering at the readings. "This energy fluctuation. When did it first occur?" Tuvok crossed to his Tactical station. "Just moments before their lifesigns disappeared." Harry continued working the console furiously. "Then it is logical to conclude these energy readings may be masking their lifesigns." Tuvok tapped his combadge. "Tuvok to Away Team, please respond." The bridge crew waited in silence. "Tuvok to Captain Janeway." His voice was calm, but his set jaw revealed his concern. "Mr Kim, is there a way to cut through the energy field's interference?" "I'm working on it." Kim's voice was tense as he concentrated on his readings. "They will no doubt realize their situation when they try to check in." It was as near to a comforting word as a Vulcan could utter. The interior of the structure was pitch black, and B'Elanna ran her hand down the smooth wall to keep from running into anything. The ceiling narrowed at the top in a triangular fashion, which kept her hunched over, trying not to graze her head on the apex of the ceiling. "The builders of this structure must have been a lot smaller than humans", she thought. The walls felt cool like glass, and B'Elanna shivered as her body tried to adjust to the drop in temperature. She reached for her flashlight as the rest of the Away Team approached. All five flashlights snapped on almost simultaneously but they could not penetrate the darkness of the interior. Although Chakotay was standing next to her, Kathryn could only see a dim pinpoint of light emanating from his flashlight. Now and again, a beam of light was reflected from the glasslike wall, making it even harder to get her bearings. Janeway turned and focussed her light on the blue glasslike wall, rubbing her hands across the damp surface. Liquid droplets clung to its cold surface and ran in small rivers down its angled side. "My tricorder can't scan beyond the wall." Her voice sounded muffled in her own ears, and she fought to keep from shivering. "This feels like a giant refrigeration unit..." "Captain, I'm reading a small chamber at the end of this hallway." B'Elanna's voice sounded faint in the distance. "And the energy readings are stronger from this direction." "Wait for us, B'Elanna. We don't want to loose anyone!" Janeway knew she was yelling, but her voice was so muffled, she was unsure if B'Elanna had heard her. She scanned the walls one last time, but her tricorder was still unable to identify or penetrate the substance. Grabbing onto Chakotay's sleeve, she picked her way through the hallway, dragging her fingertips along the wall's smooth surface until she stepped through into the chamber. No one heard the door slam shut behund them, nor its latch be drawn from the outside. The chamber was rounded with a dome shaped roof. After the darkness of the corridor, the soft light of the dome was almost blinding. The flashlights of the Voyager crew set off rainbow-colored sparkles and glimmers in the walls. The air smelled fresher here, and was warmer, and Janeway recognized the same flowery scent she had smelled outside. She ran her fingers along the surface and suddenly pulled her hand back. Focussing her light on her fingertips, she watched as tiny droplets of blood disappeared into the darkness as they fell toward the ground. Turning her flashlight to the walls surface, she stood perplexed by the ancient carvings that covered the walls. Intricate etchings of pregnant women, women in labor and children covered the surface. Chakotay hovered around one carving in the middle of the chamber floor. It portrayed a woman lying on her side with numerous rays extending from her abdomen. The rays glittered with the reflected light of his flashlight. "Must have been a chamber dedicated to their fertility goddess," Chakotay kneeled beside it, running his light over its smooth surface. His love for archaeology gleamed in his eyes. The exquisite fashioning of the carving whetted his appetite to know more about this culture, and why they had disappeared. "The smooth craftsmanship is extrodinary," Chakotay murmered to himself, running his hands along its surface. "Smooth?" Janeway raised an unseen eyebrow in the darkness and made her way over to Chakotay. "I've just cut myself on the wall carving over there," she lifted her fingerips to the light. "The surface is also quite warm," Chakotay added running his tricorder over the carving, "and I believe the energy readings are higher in this area." He lifted his eyes to see B'Elanna's face, her Klingon forehead ridges gave her a sinister appearance in the dim light, the tricorder screen playing eerie colors in her eyes. Janeway placed her hand flat on the warm smooth surface, wincing slightly at the pain in her fingertips. B'Elanna glanced left to right, slightly alarmed at last. "Captain, we appear to have lost the Security team." Janeway had no time to answer as the floor dropped out from under them and they fell though the darkness. Janeway, Chakotay and B'Elanna's bodies slammed into a stone carving identical to the one in the domed chamber. Chakotay lifted himself from its surface, dabbing at the blood dripping from his forehead. Blinking rapidly in the sunshine, he glanced at B'Elanna and Janeway who were sitting perfectly still, wonder on their faces. He followed their gaze and his mouth dropped open in amazement. They were surrounded by hundreds of children. Young boys and girls with flowing hair frolicked in a dry meadow that extended out in all directions. Blackened, gnarled trees bordered its edges, and in the distance a mob of children could be seen dragging the struggling body of a larger child towards them through the brush. Chakotay looked closer at the children nearby. They seemed to be paying little attention to them. Their faces dirty, their clothes torn and soiled, they played silent games in groups or danced merrily together. Some simply turned around in place, their faces staring up at the sky. Chakotay reached for his tricorder and found it was gone. He looked to Janeway and B'Elanna and found they had all been disarmed as well. Looking at their faces, he spoke quietly. "Kathryn?" He leaned closer to her but her face seemed blank as she stared across the meadow. He took her arm and gently shook her but her gaze remained with the children, and a small smile spread across her face. "Kathryn! Snap out of it!" Chakotay took her by both shoulders and shook her. He looked over to B'Elanna for help, but her expression was the same as Janeway's. They seemed to be in some sort of hypnosis, or drugged. At that thought, he struck his combadge, "Chakotay to Voyager." He gasped slightly and swallowed, willing them to reply. "Chakotay to anyone!" He waited a few moments longer, then reached over to B'Elanna and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her. "B'Elanna! What's happening?" "Its so peaceful...so perfect." B'Elanna's eyes were half closed and her voice was barely a whisper. Chakotay turned as the mob of children approached. He could see more clearly now that the larger child they were dragging with them was nearly the age of a teenager. She struggled violently, landing a few blows to the eyes or noses of her captors. Although she was bigger, there were too many for her to fight off. They dragged her inch by inch by her hair, clothing and limbs until they dropped her body nearly at Chakotay's feet. Chakotay stood and took a step back. They may have looked like human children from a distance, but close up their features were sharper, their ears more pointed, and their long hair flowed unnaturally above their heads. Reaching down, a boy Chakotay could only assume was the 'leader' grabbed hold of the captive girl's head and wrenched it back out of the dirt. With his fingertips he forced her eyelids open while a second child pointed at Janeway and B'Elanna. The captive girl's mouth opened as if to scream, but no sound came out. She struggled violently again but was yanked into the same position. Lifting her hand weakly, she pointed to Janeway. Janeway's expression remained blank. With lightning speed, the children mobbed the captive girl, their fists impaling her with sharp rocks. Shocked, Chakotay took a step toward them and found himself surrounded by children. More children than he could count tackled him to the ground pinning him there. He watched as they pushed B'Elanna from the blue slab and dragged the bloodied body of the poor girl onto it, laying her next to Janeway. Janeway looked down at the girl, her expression tranquil. The girl's body shuddered and a bright light emerged from her body, hovered in the air for a moment, then surrounded Janeway becoming brighter and more focused. Janeway's eyes closed and she fell unconscious onto the the etched blue slab, like a puppet with its strings cut. Chakotay struggled in the silence, pinned down by a hundred small hands. "Kathryn!" He screamed, reaching for her. He watched as her body went into convulsions and could not contain his rage. He pushed away as many of the alien 'children' as possible, pulling his way across the dirt and onto the metallic slab. Reaching for Kathryn's quivering body, he gathered her up in his arms as the children swarmed over him, toppling him over onto the ground. He covered Kathryn's body protectively with his own, fighting them off as best he could. Feeling a blow to his head, and then another, Chakotay glanced across to B'Elanna who sat serenely only meters from the siege. "B'Elanna, help us!" He screamed as he felt another blow to his head. B'Elanna's smiling face was the last thing he saw as Chakotay succumbed to the darkness. Three small glowing lights danced through one of Voyager's cargo bays, they lilted over objects, and dashed through others. Silently making their way to the far wall, they stopped, and began to swarm each other. Finally, two of the glowing lights backed away while the third hovered for a moment before pouncing. Seven of Nine woke startled in her regeneration alcove. Janeway opened her eyes to the worried face of Chakotay looking down on her. "Kathryn... How do you feel?" She struggled to sit up and felt his strong arms support her. Shaking her head to clear away the cobwebs, she asked "What happened?" "Apparently, the inhabitants of this planet tried to communicate with us by transporting one of their... essences into your body." "... Did it work?" "Yes, it did, but the answers we got from them were not what we would like them to be." Seeing the worry and concern in his face, she made herself stand up straight and assume command again. "Chakotay, tell me. What happened?" He looked straight into her eyes and said "Once someone finds this place, the people here won't let them go again. Our crewpeople have been resettled to various places all around this planet. Voyager itself has been destroyed. We are, in effect, stranded here, probably for the rest of our lives." She felt the color drain from her face. "However... The people here will try to make our life as comfortable as possible. We are, to them, honored guests - that just will not be allowed to leave. Other than that, we have complete freedom." Janeway turned his back to him and looked across the woodland. The sun shone on her face, and a slight breeze played with her hair. The place looked inviting and full of promise to her. She felt suddenly at peace, more than she had ever before. It was like... her mind searched for the right words... Yes, it was like coming home. Suddenly, she felt Chakotay's hands on her shoulders. "Kathryn... We can't change this. There is no way back. The sooner we accept this, the better. Please... Don't make it harder on you than it has to be." A shudder went through Janeway and she straightened up. She turned around to face Chakotay, smiling, and her eyes gleamed with surprising joy. "Chakotay... I feel like a huge load has been liftet from my shoulders. We have been granted a new home. Let us find the others and build a new civilization here, on this planet. And, Chakotay..." She smiled, almost impishly, and saw an answering grin spread across his face. "Yes, Captain?" "Let's have children." Harry Kim broke the silence on the bridge. "Sir, the Away Team is 20 minutes overdue to check in...again." Tuvok looked across to Ops from his Tactical station. "I am well aware of the time Mr Kim. Return your concentration to the task at hand." Harry looked at his console and sighed, shifting his feet. He hated disagreeing with Tuvok but he felt they needed to be doing something more. Tom spoke up suddenly. "Perhaps we could send down a shuttlecraft?" Harry could feel his best friend's worry. He would have to talk to Tom about B'Elanna one of these days. "Mister Paris, until we can pinpoint the effects of this energy on our crew and equipment, that will only put more lives at risk. We will continue our efforts from Voyager." Tuvok's tone was firm. "Doctor to the Bridge," the Doctor's tone was casual as usual. "Tuvok here, go ahead Doctor." "I think you'd better come down here Mr Tuvok. I have some.. interesting things to report." Raising his eyebrow, Tuvok turned to go. "Mr Paris, you have the bridge. And no heroisms, please." The Doctor turned from his communications console and back to Seven of Nine who was sitting on the bio-bed. He sighed heavily and tried to smile. All friendship aside, the paternal feelings he had for Seven made him want to alternately hug and strangle her. Seven's expression was glum and confused. "What is your diagnosis, Doctor?" "There is no diagnosis, Seven. Only congratulations." Seven looked puzzled, and the Doctor relished the moment, pausing before his explanation. "You're pregnant, Seven." The Doctor raised his PADD in anticipation, grinning hugely. "You're going to have a baby. And the lucky father is...?" "That's impossible," Seven's tone was final. "The scans clearly show..." the Doctor began. Seven interrupted. "Then run your scans again. Your instruments are malfunctioning." The Doctor's tone softened and he placed his hand on her shoulder. "This is a wonderful time for you Seven. Right now you may be having mixed feelings... that's alright, you'll soon get over the shock. You may want to have a chat with Ensign Wildman..." Seven interrupted him. "Then I am malfunctioning." "Pregnancy is not a malfunction Seven!" The Doctor's patience was nearing an end. He could hardly believe that Seven had taken such interactive social steps to get to this level and kept it all from him! He wondered who the father was and thought grim thoughts about what he would do to the man at his next physical. To get intimate with Seven, possibly the only woman on board the ship who did not know what to do in such circumstances, and then leave her to her fate. He wondered if Harry Kim had anything to do with this. Seven remained calm, but a frown spread on her face. "When sexual intercourse has not occurred, pregnancy is a malfunction." For once, the Doctor was at a loss for words. The door chime rang. On his way to sick bay, Tuvok was accosted by an enraged Talaxian. "Mr Tuvok, I have a complaint to make. You know I am doing my best as morale officer and cook on this ship to keep everyone happy and well fed, but this is ridiculous. I mean, we are far away from your home planet! And I can't just tell everyone to use their replicator rations for extra wishes, you know, that would be exceedingly rude." "Mr Neelix." Tuvok used a breather in Neelix's speech to get a word in edgewise. "What exactly is the matter?" Neelix sighed. "It's about the female crewmembers." "Yes?" Tuvok looked at him expectantly. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find pickled gherkins in the Delta quadrant?" Tuvok entered Sick Bay at a fast clip. He hadn't time for the Doctor's banter today and was hoping he would get straight to the point. What Tuvok saw made him stop dead in his tracks. The Sick Bay was filled with female crewmembers, some sitting on bio-beds, some standing and leaning against them. All looked quite upset, and, for want of a better word, glowing. The Doctor turned from his current patient as Tuvok entered and motioned for him to join him in his private office. "I can't explain it, Mr Tuvok. But all of these women are pregnant." the Doctor began. "Elaborate," Tuvok's interest was stirred. "They claim to have not engaged in sexual intercourse. At least not with the necessary precaution. What's more, I've analyzed the DNA of every fertilized egg and found no male on Voyager to be a match. " The Doctor raised a PADD and handed it to Tuvok. "In the meantime, while I was running the tests, Seven's pregnancy progressed another month into term. The fetus is growing at an exponential rate, and the others seem to be the same!" Quickly going over the PADD's data, Tuvok turned from the Doctor and tapped his combadge, "Tuvok to the bridge, intruder alert." Waking to total darkness, Chakotay lay still, trying to get his bearings. The sound of Kathryn's voice faded in his head to be replaced by whispering, the same sound he had heard in the garden square, but it seemed very distant. Closer to him, he could hear faint breathing and reached over to touch someone's face. Their skin was cold and he softly ran his fingertips over the face. The forehead ridges gave her identity away and Chakotay found her arm trying to get a pulse. Sighing with relief, he shook her gently and sat her up with her back to the wall. His hand brushed against its surface and he paused, feeling its carvings more closely. He couldn't be certain, but he thought they were back in the circular, domed room. Chakotay's eyes had begun to adjust to the dim light and he could see B'Elanna's eyes were half open. He took her face gently in his hands, "B'Elanna," he whispered. "B'Elanna, do you know who I am? Do you see me?" The only sound from B'Elanna was a soft, toneless hum. "She will not answer you," a voice whispered from across the darkness. Chakotay wheeled around, "Who are you? Who's there?" "Our names... we have long forgotten... suffice to say... we are in the same grave circumstance." The voice grew fainter. Chakotay stood and began to slowly follow the edge of the wall around the room. He stopped as his vision focused on the outlines of dozens of humanoid forms. Some were hunched over in the chamber, shivering and dazed like B'Elanna. Others were leaning with their backs to the walls. He took a few steps forward, focusing on one who was pounding his fists against the wall. He watched as a darker substance ran down the wall, and made his way toward the figure as he realized it was blood. Two figures held him back. "Leave him, my friend," the figure grasped Chakotay's arm firmly. "What? Let me go," Chakotay struggled. "He has come to his end... it is best this way." Chakotay watched as the figure collapsed onto the hard floor. "What is going on here? What is this place? Where is my colleague? Kathryn?!" He called into the darkness. "Kathryn!" Hands were suddenly clasped over his mouth. "Be still! Or you will bring them upon us!" The strangers words were slurred in a way which was familiar. The hand was lifted. "Are you Vidiian?" Chakotay whispered to his new 'friend'. "Yes," came the reply. Chakotay peered at him closely, his eyes were dark and sunken in. His body was emaciated, and he was covered in the green algae that seemed to flourish on the planet, "You were not affected by the phage?" "No.. my wife and I," his voice suddenly quavered and another's hand went to his shoulder, "were untouched by the phage, ...but I would much rather have the phage then live with the Vahwray." "Vahwray?" Chakotay pressed him for answers. My translation device doesn't recognize that word. The Vidiian pressed his hand against a stone, and part of the wall opened up shedding a triangle of faded light into the room. "Your answers are there." He began through the corridor and motioned for Chakotay to follow. "I can't leave her," Chakotay pointed toward B'Elanna. "They will not bother her. She is of mixed blood," the Vidiian pulled Chakotay into the corridor as the door closed behind him. Chapter 2 Reality Chakotay made his way through the narrow passages, following his guide through the twists and turns. The walls were made of the same blue glasslike metal, however the shape was inverted, with the apex at his feet and the triangular base above his head. He stepped over countless bodies, sometimes stopping to check if they were alive, most were in a trancelike state, and all were male. Each time the Vidiian would urge him onwards. The light grew brighter as they rounded another turn and Chakotay stumbled over the bodies of his two Security guards. "Wait," Chakotay whispered through the darkness, turning the bodies over to find them already stiff with decay. "We must hurry!" the Viidian urged. "What happened here?" Chakotay rushed to catch up. "They resisted the mind-play of the Vahwray,.. if we are stopped, you must act as the others do!" He pointed to the bodies on the ground as he hurried through the corridor towards the light. A few minutes later, Chakotay's guide began to slow, and he motioned for quiet. Bending to his hands and knees, the two crawled the rest of the distance into a corridor bathed with light. Chakotay could see through the mouth of the corridor into the circular chamber beyond. Women dressed in blue flowing robes sat in a large circle around a tall white light. Chakotay glanced through the room recognizing half a dozen different species. There were even some he didnt recognize, but they all had the same trancelike stare in common. He put his curiousity aside. He had one agenda, and that was to find Kathryn. The women stood syncronously and began walking in a circle around the light. Chakotay's eyes widened and his heart lept into his throat as he realized they all had another thing in common - they were all very pregnant. As the women sat again around the glow of the light Chakotay spotted Kathryns face. "My God," he whispered as his eyes went from her pallid face to her enlarged stomach. "What have they done?" He clenched his teeth and began to bolt toward the doorway but the Vidiian held him back, clamping a damp hand over Chakotay's mouth, and wrestling him to the floor. "This is not the time nor the place, my friend, for the Vahwray do not need eyes to see, nor ears to hear," the Vidiian whispered into Chakotay's ear. He then began to shake, either with fear or rage, Chakotay could not be certain. "I will take you to a friend. A trusted friend... for my hours here are numbered." He led Chakotay back through the halls, stumbling over the half-living and the dead. The Vidiian's own body continued to shake violently from the exertion and soon they were crawling more slowly, deeper into the darkness. Combined Security / Science teams searched all through Voyager. Tuvok hovered over Harry who played the internal sensors like a piano, but to no effect. No intruder was visible on the screens. Tuvok's presence at his back made him increasingly nervous. He still remembered the stifled snicker he had heard from the navigator's station when Tuvok announced that Seven was pregnant. It did not matter that he then added that all female crewmembers were in the same condition. Harry was sure Tom would use the next possible moment to taunt him about that. As if he was the only crewmember who was madly in love with the shapely Borg... Seven lay on the diagnostic bed, eyes closed, considering her options. Having finally reached a decision, she tried to stand up with her usual fluid movements but found herself restricted by the strange shape of her body. The Doctor was at her side almost immediately. "Seven, you need to lie down and rest... Please." "No, Doctor." Her voice was brittle but very serious. "I will not rest and be pampered. And I will not have this child. I did not choose this. I want you to take it away." The Doctor was stunned. "You want an abortion, Seven? Is that what you are saying?" She only nodded. "Well I am afraid I cannot help you there. As a Doctor, my ethical standards forbid me to take a life, even an unborn one. Besides, your pregnancy is too far along." Seven clearly did not like this answer. "Doctor. I did not choose to have a child. I did not engage in sexual intercourse of my own free will. In effect, I have been violated. Now, will you help me, or will I have to reprogram my Borg nano-probes to do this?" "Now, now, Seven, calm down..." The Doctor moved closer to her, trying to settle her anger and motioned to one of his enlisted helpers. He knew what the Doctor wanted, grabbed a sedative and tried to inject it into Seven. But he had no chance against her Borg strength and agility, even when pregnant. Seven turned, slapped the hypospray out of the man's grip with the back of her hand, and, with an angry look at the Doctor, stormed out of sick bay as fast as her swollen body would allow. With a huge sigh, the Doctor tapped his commbadge. "Doctor to the bridge... Seven has run off." After what seemed like ages, worried about his crewpeople... about Kathryn... Chakotay and the Vidiian emerged into the light. Looking around, he saw that they had been crawling through the whole structure and out the back side. The woodland here was not as pleasant-looking as it had been on the other side, and the bright sunlight blinded Chakotay for a minute. The Vidiian tugged him on, and stumbling blindly he followed. Suddenly, the Vidiian stopped and whispered, pointing to a tiny clearing in the glade, "There she is..." Blinking into the light, Chakotay saw the form of one of the aliens - the Vawhray. She seemed to be female, her silvery hair flowing around an oval, ageless face, with small, pointed ears peeking through the silver strands, the lavender eyes looking both amused and concerned. The fabric she wore looked like nothing else but gossamer wings - and suddenly it struck Chakotay like lightning. He was looking at something out of Earth mythology... the being in front of him was Fae. A Fairy. He wished Kathryn was here. Her grasp of European mythology was considerably higher than his own. He shrugged mentally. It couldn't be helped at the moment. The being spoke then. "Karees, who is this human? Why did you bring him here?" Her voice startled Chakotay with its beauty. It was singing like a bird, chiming like little silver bells. He shook himself and said, "My name is Chakotay, I am the First Officer of the Starship Voyager, currently in orbit around your planet. And you are...?" The Fae smiled. "You may call me Isheen. I am native to this planet. And..." she looked into his eyes, deeply, and a shudder went through him. "And I need your help." She was swimming in a blue sea, waves rolling onto the soft white sand, the sun shining, reflecting on the water. Someone was standing on the beach, waving at her. Lazily, she moved towards him. It was Tom Paris, wearing his swimming trunks and the ridiculous Hawaaian shirt he was so fond of. "Hey, B'Elanna!", he shouted. Something nagged at her. Something was not right... Where was she? Didn't they beam down a strange planet? With ruins, yes... and a trap door... So what was she doing here? Tom's shouts turned increasingly louder and more aggressive. She looked at him and was startled to see that he had turned into a Klingon, though still wearing the loudly colored shirt. This was plainly not real. She considered, then took a deep breath and dived down. She awoke in a dark, cool room, the glass-like wall at her back feeling clammy. She got up, dazed, but sure the fantasy was over. Then she noticed the bodies all around her and started to gag. "My help?" Chakotay was incredulous. "After leading us into a trap and doing... I don't know what to my Captain, B'Elanna, Jameson and Carl? Two dead, one comatose, one... pregnant? And you want my help?" "Chakotay." The Fae raised her hands calmingly. "Chakotay, those deeds were done by those I oppose... They are violent and egoistical, and must be stopped." She sighed. "I need to explain this quickly. If you will excuse me..." Chakotay felt something like a thread of silver run though his brain. Startled, he looked at Isheen and their eyes locked. It was too late to struggle. Through the telepathic contact, Chakotay was force-fed images, sounds, contexts - the history of this planet and it's people, the rift in it's culture almost millenia ago, the travels though space, the rise and fall of a culture, of a huge empire. And through it all, a desperate denial of reality, of giving up the true shape for borrowed lives full of sights, sounds, smells, tastes... sensations and emotions their true shapes were apparently denied. Dazed, confused, Chakotay was whirled around all this, trying to focus, trying to understand what Isheen wanted from him, when he was dropped, gently, out of the telepathic history lesson. Isheen was looking at him sadly. "Do you understand now? We are not what we seem. Our true form is one of pure energy, but eons back, we decided to borrow humanoid bodies to experience what they experienced. It was - intoxicating. Addicting. Some of us realized the danger, but by then it was too late. We had become dependent on the humanoid bodies. Chakotay..." She moved closer to him. "Do you know the old Earth tale of the changelings?" Unable to speak, he could only nod. "They were my people. For hundreds of years we... slipped into your females bodies and were born by them. Not only on your planet. All over what you call the Gamma, Delta and Alpha Quadrant, and beyond. We used our energy forms to travel the distances, and then became corporeal. But we were too strong for most beings. We burned out their bodies, sometimes even before we were born." She shuddered and Chakotay's mind flashed over the faces of the worn and tired women back in the chambers, over Kathryn's face. He fought back a shudder himself. "And the males... we played cruel mind games with them. Especially here. We burn them out for our pleasures. The females are controlled too, we play out their fantasies in their minds so they don't notice what happens with their bodies. I have to apologize - Karees was only an image of an old friend who died years ago. I implanted him into your mind to lead you here." She looked sad and helpless, overwhelmed by the crimes of her race. "We are murderers, Chakotay. Millions of times over, we are murderers. And I can't change it, not alone. I need help. Will you help me?" Looking deeply into her alien eyes, he nodded. "Yes. I will help you." Seven hid in her cargo bay, working on re-designing her nano-probes. She knew she had only a little time until Security reached her and brought her back to sick bay, where she would be forced to give birth to a child not her own. She ignored the pain in her stomach and the feelings of helplessness and fear that washed through her. Those were irrelevant. She was no longer Borg. No-one would force her. Never again. The nano-probes were finished. Unhesitatingly, she injected them into her bloodstream and waited for them to do their work. When the cargo bay door was unlocked and Tuvok walked in, she almost smiled at him. "You are too late." Unresisting, she allowed herself to be led to sick bay. B'Elanna stumbled through the dark rooms, trying to avoid the bodies sprawled on the floor. She felt violently sick and grew more and more angry by the second. A low growl came from her throat, and she longed for a weapon, any weapon, the sharper the better. Faintly, she heard a familiar voice. "Chakotay?" she called out softly. "B'Elanna!" Footsteps came closer. "B'Elanna, are you alright?" "Chakotay!" Relief came flooding through her, but then she saw the  alien next to him. She went instinctively into an attack stance. "Who is that?" she snarled. "Isheen", Chakotay said, "and believe it or not, she's on our side. We're getting out of here. Trust me." She did not trust the alien. But she trusted Chakotay and his judgement of character. Keeping an eye on him all the same, for maybe he was influenced by this pretty porcelain doll, she followed them through the tunnels. "We need to deactivate two force fields", she heard Isheen say. "One prevents sensors to penetrate this structure, and one is a psychoactive field that enhances our telepathic abilities and keeps the women sedated. Once the first one is deactivated, you can beam back to your ship. We'll destroy the second one then and set everyone free." "And what will happen then?" Chakotay asked. "I don't know. I'll possibly be killed as a traitor. But you will be safe, as will all who come this way. And maybe we will get back to our real life. I am not alone in this struggle after all." She smiled. "This is funny", B'Elanna piped up. "We encounter no resistance at all. Are there no guards?" "No", Isheen replied. "We rely on our telepathic abilities to control everyone. You are only free to move and think because I am protecting you. Until the psychoactive force field is disabled, you'd do better to stay close to me. Take care... We are here." In front of them, another domed room stretched out, this time filled with intricate machinery, glittering like spun glass, rainbow colors running through it. "It is beautiful", Chakotay whispered. "Yes", Isheen agreed, "beautiful, but dangerous. Let us go to work." "Wait... Where's B'Elanna?" He looked around, searching, and found the woman sitting on the floor, smiling blissfuly again. "Oh no", he groaned. "B'Elanna! Wake up! Snap out of it!" Searchingly, he looked at Isheen. "She has a strong mind. I cannot enter it alone. She needs to regain reality by herself first." Chakotay sighed. He looked at his crewmate, then took a step back and put his trust in her Klingon side. He hit her, hard, with the back of his hand. No reaction. He slapped her again, and again, until her hand shot up and gave him an uppercut so hard he almost fainted. He looked at the dazed but furious Klingon in front of him. Slowly, she got a grip on herself. She straightened up. "I suppose I should be thanking you, Chakotay... If I didn't know you had wanted to do that for a long time." He grinned. "Welcome back, B'Elanna." "Can you give me a hand here?" Isheen called them over. Together, they worked on the force field generator until the faint hum that was present in the background subsided. "Catch!" A communicator badge flew through the air towards Chakotay. He caught it and activated it in one smooth motion. "Chakotay to Voyager, come in please!" "Voyager here. Commander, what happened?" "It's a long story, Tuvok, and it's not yet over. Can you get a lock on us?" "Aye Sir. Do you want us to beam you out of there?" "Not now. I will need to have you beam me back quickly though once we're finished here. Standby." "Aye Sir." The air of relief that swept through the bridge was clear even over the comm badge, and Chakotay smiled. "Alright. Isheen, B'Elanna, you work on the psychoactive field generator. I am going to find the Captain." Isheen looked at him worriedly. "Take care, Chakotay. If anyone sees you, act passive. They must not suspect before it is too late." He nodded and set off into the dark corridors. On the bridge of Voyager, people smiled happily. If Chakotay was safe, then so was the Captain and B'Elanna Torres. The last especially brought a smile to Tom's face. Even Tuvok looked less worried that just a few minutes ago. A communicator beep broke through the happiness. "Sickbay to Tuvok." "Tuvok here, Doctor. Report." "Sir, the women seem to be growing more anxious. A couple of them had nervous breakdowns, some have extreme problems with their cardiovascular systems. Some are feverish. They seem to be burning from the inside. And about Seven..." Harry leaned closer. "Yes Doctor. Please continue." "Her condition has worsened. She has managed to re-program the nanoprobes to effect an abortion, but something has gone wrong. The fetus doesn't seem to want to let go. I had to sedate her, and I don't know how long she'll survive this battle." "Understood Doctor. Do whatever you can." "Of course. Sick bay out." Chakotay turned a final corner and glanced into the large chamber. Kathryn sat in a dark corner surrounded by women. Picking his way carefully through them, he noticed some were in labour and some seemed to have just given birth, although the newborns were nowhere to be found. Their faces were drained and pale, holding the same tranced expressions as before. Chakotay knelt next to Kathryn, and brushed her hair back from her face. Wrapping his arms around her, Chakotay grunted as he lifted her from the damp floor. The Captain in her current condition was much heavier then he had expected. At least she didn't put up any resistance and just continued to smile blissfully while he lifted her into his arms. The way back to the force field chamber would be a long and difficult one. B'Elanna found herself reluctant to work with the alien. She reminded her of bedtime stories her mother used to tell her when she was a very little child. The FaChra'q, they were called, the Body Stealers, abductors of royal children, thieves in the night, without honor, cruel and deceiving. She had had fantasies as a child of pulling the wings off these abhorrent creatures. Isheen sighed. "Yes, these stories have their basis in truth. We have become cruel, unthinking. I want to change all that." She looked dreamily off into the distance. "I don't want to believe that all that is left of us is a band of thieves. We were great, once. I know we can be so again. If you let us." She looked straight at B'Elanna. Whatever answer she might have given was interrupted by Chakotay's return, the Captain in his arms. B'Elanna's eyes widened as she realised the Captain's condition. "Alright, B'Elanna, Isheen, I hope you're ready with this, because I can't carry her much longer." Isheen nodded. "Please, have your people prepare to beam you up." When she saw Chakotay reach for the communicator, she flicked a switch. The generator at her side went wild. Chakotay looked up. "What?" "Generator self-destruct. The only way." "Tuvok! Four to beam up!" "No!" Isheen cried. "No! Not me too!" But the beam took them away. Chakotay hurried through Voyager, the Captain still on his back, slowly stirring. Finally, he reached sick bay and was stunned by the view of the female half of the crew, all pregnant. The Doctor approached him, and together they put the Captain on the nearest empty diagnostic bed. Quickly, he passed a scanner over her. "Oh my god..." "What?!?" "Her term is far more progressed than that of the others... She's almost in labour!" Kathryn's eyes fluttered open. "What happened? Chakotay... Was I dreaming?" His eyes travelled over her body as Kathryn gasped. "Oh no..." He hated to leave Kathryn like this, but he had no choice. He and Isheen were needed on the bridge. He held her hand for a brief second, then turned and exited Sick Bay without looking back. Turmoil was already happening when they arrived. "There seems to be a war going on", Tuvok informed him when they stepped out of the turbolift. "A war?" Chakotay turned to Isheen. "Can you explain?" She thought briefly and then answered, "My guess is that the reawakened humanoids are fighting us. And my faction is probably involved as well." She stared in horror at the images of destruction on the viewscreen. "It will be slaughter. Over and over again. I did not want this to happen..." She shook her head sadly and a small silver tear slid down her cheek. Suddenly, Voyager was rocked by an explosion. "What happened?" Chakotay demanded. "There seems to be a high level of energy seeping though the ship... from within." Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "This seems impossible." "Doctor to the bridge!" "Yes, Doctor, what is it?" Chakotay turned towards the conn. "It's the women, Commander. They are... glowing... and their pregnancies seem to be - reversed. Not so much a case of abortion but reabsorption. Even Seven is healing... It's like a miracle!" The Doctor looked around his sick bay at the zipping energy globs. As if on command, they formed a triangle and vanished through the hull. "There were some sort of energy fields here, but now they are gone, Commander. Excuse me, I have work to do." He snapped off the communicator and went to help the collapsed women. Isheen maintained a slight lock on Chakotay's thoughts while walking alone through the strangely familiar ship. She had not intended a civil war. How was this possible? Were her people so addicted to living second-hand lives that they would kill each other to keep them? She had to go back, to try and teach them the old ways. She still remembered them, even if most had forgotten them in countless lifetimes as Changelings. She reached the transporter room and tried to read the mind of the person within. Calming him, she entered. He only nodded. Telepathically, she instructed him to re-set the transporter controls just so... She stepped on the transporter padd and took her last breath as a corporeal being before the transporter beam whisked her away. "Commander!" Harry didn't believe his eyes. "There has been an unauthorized transport!" Chakotay looked around and found one face missing. "Isheen! No..." A bright light appeared in front of him. It chimed softly, and a tendril of pure energy reached out to touch his arm. "Isheen..." he whispered. The energy being hovered in front of him for a few seconds, then headed straight for the viewscreen. With a crackle, it passed through it and vanished. "Commander!" His eyes followed Tom's outstretched finger. A bright will-o-the-wisp sped from Voyager towards the planet, growing brighter and brighter, until there seemed to be a second sun in the system. From the planet, three formations of energy beings hurried towards her. Unheeding the energy beams that lanced out to her, the light that had been Isheen fell towards the planet and spread out until it engulfed all of it. "Like fairy dust",  Chakotay thought, sad but smiling. Isheen's energy dissipated through the atmosphere, and the three formations suddenly halted. They seemed confused at first, then almost sheepishly returned to the planet. "Commander... there is an incoming transmission", Harry announced. "Onscreen", Chakotay demanded. The view of the fairy planet made way for a young, elfin face. It smiled. "You are Chakotay?" the being asked. He nodded. "I am Ishoa. Isheen was my... sister. We owe you and your people gratitude for helping her. We want to apologize for all we have done, to you and to all your people. Please, when you get back home, spread this news. The Fairies are not evil any more." Ishoa smiled. "And we will not be seen any more. Our corporeal days are over. Isheens sacrifice has taught us a lesson. Some will learn it more slowly than others, but they will learn to live in harmony with corporeal beings. We wish you well on your journey home. Good bye." The communciation terminated before Chakotay could answer her. He turned around and sat down at the comm station. He wanted badly to go to sick bay and see how Kathryn was doing, but first things first. "Mr Paris, get us out of orbit. Resume heading back home, and, as soon as possible, Warp 6." "Aye, Sir." Epologue What he does not say Kathryn wrapped her solitude around her, settling into the darkness of her quarters and the soft comfort of her window-side couch. Resting her cheek against the cushions, her eyes wandered over the millions of lights in the heavens, but their sparkle and luster held no consolence for her now. She inhaled deeply, fighting back a shudder that tore through her body. How could she look upon the glittering of the stars again and not remember? Closing her eyes against the glare of the stars, she set her jaw and swallowed. She would forget. She would catalogue this occurrance scientifically, and file it away in her mind... deep in her mind. The chime of the door startled her, but she knew who was there. She had hoped he would leave her to recover herself privately, but had expected he would come. She half smiled at her own mixed emotions. She had hoped he would come. "Come in," she said softly, remaining in her lounging position. Chakotay entered, his expression somber, arms behind his back. "I am supposed to report that according to the Doctor, none of our female crewmembers has suffered any physical or mental aftereffects from this ordeal. Seven is recuperating nicely, and the Doctor has set up a bio-control teaching program for her." Kathryn simply nodded. Chakotay brought his hands to the front. They were holding a strange bottle. "Thought you could use some company," he offered. "I promise, this time it's the good stuff." "Sit down," Kathryn motioned toward the couch with a faint smile. Chakotay glanced up at the twinkling of the stars. "I guess I dont need to ask what you're thinking about," his voice was soft. Placing her hand on the back of the couch, she rested her chin on it. Her eyebrows raised slightly, "The fae..." she whispered. She looked back at Chakotay, the glow of the candle shimmering off his dark hair and in his eyes, sparking in her the memory of her dream, and the happiness she had felt... She shook her head, looked back towards the stars and continued. "You know, its ironic how little heed I paid to my ancestors' old myths and legends. You..," she motioned toward him with her fingertips, "you surround yourself with your people's culture, beliefs and practices." Chakotay smiled. "No one can take to heart all there is to to believe in. We each have to choose our own beliefs, our own values... our own path." He gently placed his hand over Kathryn's, his eyes searching hers. Kathryn swallowed. Looking into his eyes, she was unable to accept the feelings she found there. Desperate for distraction, she continued, "Do you know I cross-referenced the ship's library and found over 100 different words from an amazing range of societies that had the same meaning as 'fae'?" "Even old Earth had a range of terms, ..fae, fawery, faery. The same root can be traced all over the Alpha quadrant..." She trailed off as Chakotay's eyes fell away from hers. "I wonder how many planets they visited. The telepathic impressions I got where of a huge empire, spanning the stars... These people were almost immortal in their true form. I wonder how these powerful energy beings had the idea to take human bodies in the first place..." He looked at her quizically, realization dawning. "We may have understood their motives. Who wouldn't want to spend an eternity in childhood, filled with play? Or to view the world again, through a child's eyes?" Pausing, Chakotay looked for a response but did not find the one he was hoping for. "And in their intense desire for fullfillment," Kathryn's eyes grabbed his, "they lost sight of who they really were." She held his eyes and Chakotay saw in them her understanding. "We may never know about their true nature, but at least they will have the chance to discover that for themselves." "Do you think," he paused choosing his words carefully, "this crew... will have that chance?" Chakotay whispered. Her eyes left his, afraid of what may be revealed there. She let her hand slip from his, and turned her face once more towards the stars. "I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. " Voyager hurried on, homeward bound.