Betrayed 9/?

Disclaimers:  See Part 1

If you haven't read the warnings in Part 1, please do so.

*****

Twenty-eight minutes later, Tom met me outside the conference room.

"Ready when you are, Captain."  His tone was somewhat teasing, but his
eyes were clear and his step was sure.

I raised my eyebrow intentionally at the wisecrack, but winked at him.
We stepped up to the doors and walked into the conference room
together.  Everyone looked at us closely, especially B'Elanna and
Harry.  Tom smiled easily for them and then sat down in his usual seat
and I sat at the head of the table.

"Okay, people.  Status?"

I listened patiently to the reports.  Basically, except for the wear and
tear by the warp core jettison, it appeared that Voyager was in good
shape.

"How does the crew feel about what she did?"

"Most of the crew was quite shocked by her actions.  Those that weren't
already upset because she locked the Maquis up, were angered when we
found out she had left you behind," Tuvok said.

That was good.  I commed the Doc, and asked him to join us.  When he got
there, I asked if there was any medical reason that Janeway had suddenly
reacted the way she had to Tom and I.

"If you are asking whether she is suffering from some sort of imbalance
to explain her behavior the answer is no.  She is healthy, physically
and mentally."

"So there really wasn't a reason for her to trade me and Chakotay for
supplies?" Tom asked.

"No, just jealousy."

"Seven, can you shed any light on her actions?" I asked suspiciously.

"None.  She has always been jealous of you, Captain.  For as long as
I've been on board, she has railed against your opinion, you and
anything that had to do with you, including Lieutenant Paris."

"Why me?" Tom asked.

"It appears that she thought you were more interested in Chakotay's
opinion of your behavior than hers."

Tom looked at me and shook his head confused, but it made sense to me.

"Go on, Seven."

"When we met with Shatter alone, the Captain appeared to be her usual
self, until she saw the slave pits.  At that time, she made a comment
about how you, Captain, would look and how she would like to see you in
that situation.  Shetar, who had made it clear she found you both
attractive offered to take you and the Lieutenant in trade.  They looked
at each other for a moment and started laughing.  In reviewing the
situation, I found that I was kept out of the conversations more and
more from that point on."

"Seven, did you know what she had in mind?"

"Not until you and Lieutenant Paris passed out.  I never actually
thought she would trade you for the supplies.  However, when she
admitted it, I objected.  But, I also drank the wine, and soon was
incapacitated myself.  I was in my booth for some time before I
recovered.  Then she came in and told me if I wanted to stay on board
Voyager and not be dropped off on the next planet that hated the borg, I
had better behave myself.  I was considering my options when Tuvok
contacted me.  I then contacted her and told her I had decided to accept
her offer."

"Wait one second, if you heard her admit it, why didn't you tell someone
sooner she left us behind," Tom asked belligerently.

"I told Tuvok that I thought she might have left you behind.  That was
when he ran the scans and you were reported to be onboard.  I assumed
that she had thought better of the idea and decided to get out of the
area."

Tom's eyes narrowed, then he sat back and let the matter go.  However, I
wasn't exactly ready to trust Seven myself.  I looked around at the
people gathered at the table.

"Does anyone have anything to say on Kathryn Janeway's behalf to explain
her actions?"  I watched each of them shake their heads.  "Tuvok?"

"None, Sir.  Her actions were contrary to the person I thought I knew,
as well as, contrary to at least three different specific Starfleet
regulations."

"Just three?" Tom asked with disbelief.

"Three specific regulations, however, if you were to be less broad in
your interpretation of other regulations, she was violating sixteen
regulations."

"Suggestions?" I asked.

"Airlock the bitch," B'Elanna growled.  I tried not to smile.  For some
reason, the suggestion coming from B'Elanna didn't surprise me or Tom.

"Sir, according to regulations, she should be tried for her crimes,"
Tuvok said.

"How about we leave her on the next planet, that's not friendly to
women?" Tom asked.  I gave him a look.  He shrugged.  "You asked for
suggestions."

"Well, we can't keep her in the brig until we get to the Alpha," Harry
said.

"Why not?"

"She's almost hacked back into the computer system, three times."

That surprised me.  I didn't know Kathryn had that many computer skills.

"Next question, do we continue to run this ship under Starfleet regs or
do we go back to the Maquis way of doing things."

"Why would we change to Maquis?  We're running pretty well under the
Starfleet regs.  Why not just keep going?" Harry asked.

"Because Chakotay is Maquis."

"I have to agree with Ensign Kim.  We have operated very well under
Starfleet regulations.  The change would be disruptive and after
everything else the crew has been through, this would just put
additional strain on everyone.  I would suggest, Captain that we
continue as we are with the understanding that Maquis tactics are a more
available option."

I thought about that for a few, looked at Tom.  He shrugged it was
reasonable.

"Okay.  I'll go ship wide in a little while.  Tom and Tuvok stick around
would you?  The rest of you, take your posts and let's go home."

When the room was cleared, Tuvok looked at me.

"Captain, I would like to point out one other matter.  If we do return
to the Alpha Quadrant and we have not followed some sort of protocol
regarding the Kathryn Janeway, the previous Captain of this vessel, we
could be facing serious charges."

"That's if we run to Starfleet," Tom said.  "Besides, that's still what
65 years in the future?"

"That may well be true, but we could be tried in abstentia."

"Who cares?"

"Tom, Vulcan family honor."

"What?  We're going to try her aren't we?"

"Looks like it.  What are the sentences applicable in this situation,
Tuvok?"

"Of course, the mutiny was completely documented, as was her
incarceration.  Usually, the offending party, if found guilty of
violating the regulations that she is obviously guilty of violating
would be removal from Starfleet, rank stripped and possibly a jail
sentence.  However, her involvement in slavery could bring a harsher
punishment."

"What's harsher than jail?" Tom asked.

"Regulations state that a "harsher" ruling could be handed down in the
case of active involvement of slavery."

"That gives us enough room to work with.  Anything else Mr. Tuvok?"

"Yes, sir.  The matter of First Officer?"

"That will be Tom."

"That is outside St...."

"Fine, we'll make our first adjustment to Starfleet Regs."

Tuvok nodded.  "Is there anything else, Sir?"

"No.  Thank you Mr. Tuvok."

"It is good to have both of you back aboard," Tuvok said and then left
the conference room.  I looked at Tom, he looked a little confused.

"Questions?  Comments?  Suggestions?"

"I don't trust, Seven."

"Me either.  I'll keep an eye on her."

"Why are you making me first officer?  You're skipping over Tuvok and
some people won't like that."

"Because I think you can do it.  I think you're first officer material,
and I sure as hell would rather have you at my back than Tuvok."

"Not because of..."

"Nothing to do with Nagor."

"No, I was wondering if it was because technically I'm fleet."

Would that man never throw me a curve?  "No, Tom I don't consider you
fleet.  However, I was wondering if I could interest you in going to the
brig and visiting Kathryn Janeway with me."

"Only if you promise to lower the force field."

"I'd better have Tuvok watching us, otherwise...I just might kill the
bitch."

We laughed as we went onto the bridge.  I sat in the Command Chair and
almost wanted to throw up.  I thought of all the times I sat there
trusting Kathryn Janeway to find out the entire time she...  I sighed
heavily.

"Open shipwide communications,"

I made my little speech.  It was much more Maquis than Fleet, pep talks
were not my strong point.  I explained I was the Captain.  I would
continue to do my utmost to get us home safely.  That there would be no
major changes in the running of the ship, with the exception of Tom now
being first officer.  I warned the Maquis to behave themselves, and
assured the fleeters that what Kathryn Janeway had done would not
reflect on them.  I also explained for the first several weeks, I would
have an open door policy if anyone wanted to discuss the situation with
me.

"And finally, in accordance with Starfleet regulation there will be a
trial regarding Kathryn Janeway's punishment for her actions.  The time
and date would be announced.  Chakotay out."

I looked around and got a nod from Tom.  Everything seemed to be running
as usual.

"Where are we?"

"Technically speaking, two days from Nagor," Tom said.

I smiled.  "Close enough for me."

Tuvok raised an eyebrow at that one, but then Tom gave me the specific
location.  I nodded.  I looked at the screen and saw the stars floating
by, and wondered what I should do.  I knew there were probably some
reports I needed to look at, but I really wanted to go to the brig and
see her.

Tom looked about as uncomfortable as I did.  We really should have taken
a day or two off to get back into the swing of things.  I gave the
bridge to Tom and went to *my* ready room.  This was going to take some
getting used to.

*****

Isn't that just like him.  He's uncomfortable, so he runs off and
expects me to get off the helm.  I am not going to do it.  I want to fly
Voyager, I feel more alive now than I have in the last month.

"Mr. Tuvok, is there any reason I should step down from the helm?"

"None, sir."

I nodded.  I sat there flying through space.  Geez, my life was a
freaking mess. So what's new, Paris? I asked myself.

Not only was I sold into slavery, I find out B'El and Harry are going
out.  That hurt.  I really liked both of them so much, but looking back
at what I had seen, they were good for each other.  Yeah.  Harry
wouldn't take such devious delight in irritating her, and B'Elanna would
be able to relax with with Harry.  However, it didn't change the fact it
hurt and I felt like they had betrayed me.  But then again, Chak and I
had had sex voluntarily on the planet.  Chakotay.

My mind went back to this morning.  Man, had he been pissed, and, I
admitted, he had a right to be.  I shouldn't have gotten drunk.  He had
one hell of a right.  I think he bruised my kidney.  Interesting
hangover treatment, cold shower, followed by a stiff right to the
midsection, followed by TLC, and the final treatment of a serious
discussion.  No wonder the Maquis rarely missed their shift.  I smiled.
All this time, I thought it was blind loyalty.

What was going to happen?  He'd admitted he was wrong for pushing me
away, for feeling dirty after the market, for feeling ashamed when he
reacted to my touch, but right after that, he'd touched me when I was
putting him on the couch again.  That man is more diametrically opposed
than matter and anti-matter.

Maybe it was because it was me.  I mean I don't have the best track
record.  Maybe it was because I was 'overtly promiscuous'.  That's a
nice way to put it, I think.  I checked our course and made an
adjustment.  But, he made me the first officer.  Bet that gave Tuvok
diaper rash.  Hey, that meant I had to do more reports now.  I hate
reports and he knows it.  Great.  I sullenly ran a diagnostic on the
helm.

But no matter how much I tried, I couldn't forget the feeling of his
arms around me at night, or his head pillowed on my shoulder in the
mornings.  I'd almost killed him.  That was something I hadn't let
myself think about.  If they had been just 20 minutes later with that
badge, Chakotay would have been dead.  Oh shit.  Facing the maquis after
killing Chakotay?  I would have airlocked myself.

Okay Paris, quit examining your innermost self and get down to
business.  You have a chance here, so sit up straight and fly right.
Geez, I am a basket case.

About 30 minutes later, Chakotay came back onto the bridge.

"Tom, my ready room.  Tuvok, you have the bridge."

I followed Chakotay.  As the doors closed, he sat behind the desk.

"Sit down, Tom."

I did and looked at him expectantly.

"I've been looking at some things, and I realize I probably shouldn't
have put us back on duty so quickly.  We needed some time to talk, and
reacclimate."

"Chak, I'm happier flying Voyager than I am sitting in my quarters.  And
if I know this crew, they needed to hear your voice.  Most everyone
respects you."

"I know, but there are some issues we need to deal with."

"Like what?"  Maybe we could talk about this now, instead of just
screaming at each other and then declaring a truce.

"Like what I expect of you.  Like what I would like to do with Janeway.
Like, how are you doing with B'Elanna and Harry?  Like what happened
between us on the planet."

"Okay.  First of all, with Harry and B'El, I'm okay with them.  It
hurts, yeah, but...I'm not mad at them.  In fact, I think they're good
for each other."

He was watching me closely.  "I'm glad to hear that Tom."

"Commander," I said with snide intent.  "Can we drop the counselor
attitude."

"What do you want from me?  You and I have Nagor to deal with.  I don't
know what to say.  You aren't volunteering anything in regards to how
you feel.  I'm now the Captain of this vessel, that's a really big job,
and I don't know how to mix you into this."

"Why don't you try dropping the Commander/Counselor/Captain/Tribal
Shaman/Hardnosed Maquis thing and talk to me, Chak."  He turned on me
and I smiled.  "Just a suggestion."

"Okay," he sat in his chair, behind his desk and folded his hands in
front of him.  I just lifted an eyebrow and stared pointedly at the desk
and him and then to where I sat.  He gave me that glare again.  "I hate
this room.  Let's go to my old office."

When we walked in, we both felt more comfortable.  "Would you like
something?"

"Coffee would be great."

He got me a cup and he leaned on the edge of his desk, and I sat on the
couch facing him.

"Tom, I can't really say I love you anymore than I did before Nagor, but
I know this.  You were the reason I had even a moment of happiness on
that planet, and it has nothing to do with what they did or didn't do.
You could have shut me out and you didn't.  You called me on shit and
kept me alive.  I want that Tom Paris here, beside me.  I want you to
say something when I'm out of line and not back down because I don't
like it.  I don't want to take you off the helm.  Tuvok can deal with
the crap.  You're the person I want on the helm in case of emergency.
You're the one I want helping me make decisions, because you see why
people do what they do in a way I don't.  Where I will charge into a
situation and run everyone over, you can finesse a situation like a shot
on a pool table."

I sat there quietly for a minute.  That was probably not an easy thing
for Chakotay to say, because he almost admitted he needed me.  Almost.
I could make this rough on him, but I decided not to.  "Thank you."

He nodded his head, and sipped his tea.

"Now as to the things you said you wanted to know about.  Nagor:  I
don't know how I feel about all of that.  I can say I'm glad you were
there with me.  You helped me as much as I helped you.  Yes, I feel
something, but I don't know if it was the situation or us, and I don't
know just what those feelings are."

"I agree."

"Being first officer:  I'll do my best, on the provisos that you don't
take me off the helm, you don't shoot me down publicly for disagreeing
and three, I don't have to do all those stupid reports, do I?"

"I think there are some reports we can do away with, but some of them
are necessary."

I nodded in agreement.  "Good.  Janeway - I have no idea.  The idea of
facing her scares me to death.  Don't ask me why, but the idea of having
to face her now would be worse than having to face Shetar and Reigh."

"It's because we trusted her and had some respect for her.  Also, part
of it is the betrayal we both feel."

"Yeah, that's true.  I don't think I ever did anything to expect that
kind of treatment."

"Tom, have you ever seen someone get mad about something that they had
no control over and start taking it out on other people?"

"Yeah."  Like my Dad, I thought.

"I think that's a good portion of what happened to her.  She didn't want
to come here anymore than what we did.  She didn't want to feel grateful
to me or my crew.  She has always held a grudge against a lot of the
people at Starfleet for giving her a mission that had so great a chance
to fail.  And I think she had to fight the "good old boy" network of
Starfleet once too often."

"That doesn't mean she should have sold us into slavery."

"No, it doesn't, and I'm not any happier with the fact we have to give
her a fair trial, and maybe, let her off the hook.  I really don't see
where she can stay on the ship, she will always try to retake the
Captaincy and I won't allow her to do that.  Personally, if I had my
druthers, we'd be dumping her on the next M class planet."

"Glad to hear that.  Would you like me to run the transporter?"

"Better then B'Elanna.  She might disperse her pattern."

"Who says I wouldn't?"

We both laughed.  "Come on.  Let's go face her and see if we can make
heads or tails of this."  Chakotay stood up, putting his cup on his old
desk.

"Right, Captain, Sir, Great Bwana of the Delt-oof."  My little speech
was cut short by an elbow to my ribs.  "Ow!"

Chakotay smiled at me, and I froze for a second.  I was going to have to
do something about my reaction to those dimples.

"Don't mess with me, fleet.  I'm a mean maquis."

"Yeah, right."  I picked up his cup and took both of them to the
recycler.

"Tuvok, Tom and I are going to the brig and then we're going to get to
work on some of these backlogged reports.  You have the bridge until
further notice."

I turned around surprised.

"May I inquire as to how long that would be?"

"At least until the end of this shift."

"Understood Captain."

Chakotay turned the link off.  "Ready?"

"Uh, yeah."

"What's wrong?"

"I told you, I don't want to face her. Never mind, let's go see her.
Hey, do you think I'll ever be able to say *her* name again?"

"I'm having the same problem."

As we approached the brig, there were several guards standing there,
armed.

"Captain, it's good to see you, sir,"  Greg said, with a smile, snapping
to attention.

"Cut the crap, Greg.  Why so many guards?"

"Seems the Maquis would like to extract a little justice the old
fashioned way."

"You're kidding.  They tried to kill her?" I asked.  I was really
surprised.  I really thought more people would be upset that she was in
the brig.  I mean it was...the Captain.  Then I thought about it.  If
she had left Chakotay and Harry or B'El, I would have been really angry.

"Nothing quite so serious, but we did miss the first food poisoning."

"First?" Chakotay asked.

"There have been several attempts.  As well as lowering the oxygen mix
and the gravity controls seem to have gotten a little unreliable."

We were both fighting smiling.  "How unreliable?"

"Well, gravity has swung from a minus 2 to a positive 5."

"Oh shit," I laughed.  That would have put her into free float and then
slammed her to the deck barely able to breath.

"B'Elanna assures us she is working on the problem."

"With all due haste, I'm sure," Chakotay said, with a wicked smile.
Then he straightened up.  "Let us in, and make sure nothing strange
happens while we're in there.

"Aye, Captain," Greg said.  "We'll monitor the entire brig from out
here."

"Oh Greg, I want you to keep an eye on Seven.  Something isn't right
there."

"I already took the liberty of setting up some surveillance on her."

"Tuvok agreed?"

"Tuvok doesn't know."

"That's why I like you Greg, we think alike."  They both laughed in a
way I hoped they never laughed when they discussed me.

I looked over at Chakotay and he nodded.  We walked in.  He sighed, and
so did I.  I wasn't exactly frightened of facing her, but I sure as hell
was not looking forward to it.  She had done that to us.  She knew what
we were going to go through, and she was more than likely going to be
pretty damn rude about it.

We approached her cell, and stepped into view.  She glanced over at us
and then I saw the feral hatred cross her face.

"NO!"  She ran at the forcefield.  "You were supposed to die!"

"Nice to see you to, Kathryn," Chakotay said.

"So, how's life been treating you lately?"  I couldn't believe I said
that, but I recognized that I was nervous and when I got nervous, I got
cocky.

I glanced at Chakotay and for some reason he wasn't glaring at me. Did
he really understand?  However, her enraged scream brought my attention
firmly back to the cell in front of me.

"You whore! How dare they bring you back aboard my ship!  Shetar
promised you'd die if you left the city!"

"Are you saying you were actually trying to kill us?" Chakotay asked
shocked.

"Yes, I wanted you dead, but Shetar and Reigh said they would keep you
there as slaves and any attempt to rescue you or escape and you would
die!"

"What happened, Kathryn?  What changed it?  Or was it your intention
from the very beginning to get rid of me?"

"Chakotay, I never wanted you on my ship.  You're a traitor.  You're
Maquis scum.  I needed your crew, but you?!  I only needed you to keep
them in line.  You're just like every other man I have ever met.
Intrinsically better, because you're male."

"What about me?  I trusted you," I asked.  I really needed an answer to
that question.  For some reason, I needed an answer.

"You?!  Tom Paris?!  Traitor, screw up, murderer!  I should have hired
you for crew moral.  If they aren't happy send Tom Paris and he'll fuck
you."  I mentally cringed at her words.  They were vicious, and dug
deep.

"That is enough, Kathryn," Chakotay said.  He touched my arm and started
to leave.  "I won't listen to one more word of this."

"Oh Chakotay, you'll listen to one more word.  Ahnwoon."

We both spun back to the cell.  Ahnwoon was a vulcan fighting strap.  It
was a nasty weapon when used correctly.  I watched amazed as the
forcefield disengaged, a phaser appear on the table in Kathryn's room
and then from behind me the familiar hum of the transporter.

"Computer, security lock-out.  Authorization Janeway, alpha, alpha
Zeta."

I turned to see Vorick and Seven standing behind us.  Vorick had an
Ahnwoon. Seven had a pulse rifle.  Chakotay hit his badge.

"Greg, emergency beam out."

Silence.
 

TBC