Title: Thrown Through Time

Authors: R. Mason & Joanne Collins

Codes: C/P, C/P/M (only once), M/I (implied)

Ratings: G – NC –17 (depending on where in the story)

Feedback: mchakotayparis@yahoo.com

Summary: See Chapter 1

Thrown Through Time

Chapter 15

Tom and Chakotay awoke to the late morning sun coming through the window.

"Good morning, love," said Chakotay as he reached over and kissed Tom.

"Hmm... Good morning? What time is it?" asked Tom as he stretched.

"By the sun I‘d say all most 1200."

"Has Melody woken up yet?"

"Haven‘t heard from the computer yet, do you want to check?" asked Chakotay as he got up and went towards the bathroom.

"Good idea. Computer, life signs on Melody Hanley?" asked Tom as he picked up his COM badge.

"Melody Hanley is still asleep," replied the computer.

Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" called Tom

"The Magistrate would like for you to have the first meal with him on the balcony," replied the voice.

"Tell the Magistrate we will be ready shortly," said Tom

"Yes sir."

"Chakotay, we‘ve been invited to eat breakfast with the Magistrate." called Tom

"Great, be out in a minute. How‘s Melody?"

"Still asleep."

"She must have worked harder than we thought, we‘ll have to watch her when we get back." suggested Chakotay as he came out wearing only a towel.

"Oh Chak, If only we had time," said Tom suggestively.

"What‘s wrong didn‘t get enough last night. Slim?"

"Oh if you only knew...." said Tom as he kissed him then disappeared into the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later two freshly washed and dressed men were being escorted out to a table where the Magistrate waited.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Magistrate. We were checking on Melody," said Chakotay as they both sat down.

"How is your daughter?"

"Still asleep," replied Tom.

"She is not ill, I hope?"

"No, just very tired. She has been helping a lot on our ship. Plus working very hard on your gift."

"That is good, if she is able might I be allowed to show your daughter our planet?" asked the Magistrate

"I’m sure she would love to when she wakes up, Magistrate," replied Chakotay.

"Good, good!" said the Magistrate as he clapped his hands.

Two young women entered carrying several plates of different fruits and breads. They placed them on the table, then left.

"Eat, eat. Our wakita fruit is very good and sweet this year," said the Magistrate as he began to eat.

Tom and Chakotay looked at each other then picked up a piece and began eating. When the meal was almost finished Chakotay‘s COM badge beeped.

"Melody Hanley is now awake," said the computer.

"Excuse me Magistrate," said Chakotay "Chakotay to Melody."

When there was no reply Tom tapped his badge. "Paris to Melody, Come in Melody."

"*Groan*...Do you two know what time it is?" replied Melody very sleepily.

"Good morning, Sweet one. Or should I say, good afternoon," said Chakotay.

"What time is it?"

"Almost 1300" replied Tom

"Damn! I didn‘t sleep that long did I?" exclaimed Melody. She heard some muffled laughter in the background and knew they were with the Head Magistrate.

"Language, sweet one," replied Chakotay.

"Sorry Chakotay, and tell the magistrate hello for me."

"She has good hearing," said the Magistrate laughing.

"Yes, she does. The Magistrate has asked if you would like to come down and go on a tour of the planet with him," said Chakotay.

"Is Captain Janeway finished with ships business?" asked Melody.

"Yes love, Captain Janeway and I are all finished with Voyager‘s business."

"Then tell him I would love to, if it‘s all right with you both?"

"It‘s fine Mel. Eat breakfast then meet us down here in an hour. Paris out."

"You are most blessed to have a daughter as considerate and thoughtful as Melody. Are there any more?"

Tom and Chakotay looked at each other quickly then replied.

"No... We"

"No...I"

"When the time is right, the gods will bless you with more. May they be like your first. Now come, my aide tells me that you wish to know of a person who works in metal?" said the Magistrate as he rose and walked into the gardens.

Tom and Chakotay quickly followed him, each thinking about what he said. While they were waiting for Melody to get ready, the Head Magistrate took Tom and Chakotay on a tour around his gardens, filling them in on their bazaars and metal smiths. One hour later Melody transported down to the surface to find Tom, Chakotay and the Magistrate waiting for her.

"Hello head Magistrate. Afternoon guy," said Melody as she hugged them both. "Tuvok asked me to give you this," as she held out a PADD.

"Thank you Melody. You have fun and remember. Don‘t eat or drink anything?" reminded Chakotay as he took the PADD.

"I remember."

"May I ask why?" said the Magistrate.

"Melody is very easily taken ill when she eats or drinks unknown food Magistrate," explained Tom.

"Then we shall keep her safe for you. Come. Let us go."

"Thank you Magistrate," replied Chakotay as he watched the Magistrate and Melody headed down the city streets.

He knew that she would be safe with the Magistrate, but he still couldn‘t help worrying a little.

"Come on, Slim. Let‘s go look at some rings," said Chakotay as he took Tom‘s hand and they headed to the metal smith the Magistrate had told them about.

By early evening Tom and Chakotay had finished their business with the metal smith, he had promised that the three rings would be delivered before they left Terrella, an went to explored two neighboring settlements. They were waiting for Melody and the Magistrate outside his offices when they saw them returning in a crowd of people. Melody looked tired, but happy and the Magistrate was bursting with pride.

"Commander Chakotay, Lt. Paris. Your daughter is most amazing. I hope all your children are blessed like her. The gods have bless you all!" said the Magistrate loudly as he bowed to the trio and left.

Tom turned to Melody and pulled her to a bench. "What happened Mel?"

"I‘m not sure, he was showing me a garden when all of a sudden a cloud of color surrounded me then it disappeared."

"Are you all right?" asked Chakotay

"Yes, I‘m fine. Just surprised, I guess."

"Well I want you to tell Tuvok and the Doctor when you get back to Voyager."

"Guys!"

"Melody, we’re on an alien planet in the Delta Quadrant. Humor us OK?" said Chakotay.

"All right, it just looked like a rainbow to me."

"Well better safe, than sorry," replied Tom.

"All right. Are you both coming back up tomorrow?"

"No, we‘ve got two more days of shore leave scheduled. Why don‘t you meet us after breakfast and we all can go explore the hills farther east of here," said Tom.

"I‘d love to, but I promised I‘d help B‘Elanna in Engineering before she started her shore leave. She‘s going to show me how to run a diagnostics on the gel packs."

"Sounds like fun," said Tom sarcastically.

"Well maybe not for you, but it is for me. Now I really get to help."

"All right, sweet one. We‘ll see you when we get back. Don‘t work to hard," said Chakotay as he kissed her check.

"I won‘t Daddy, love you. Bye, Dad. Love you too. Melody to Voyager, one to beam up." Said Melody, and then she disappeared.

The Doctor‘s scans showed nothing out of the ordinary, but he insisted that Melody wear wrist monitors just encase. Tuvok contacted the Head Magistrate, who explained that it was a blessing from their gods. When someone is judged pure of heart and soul they are engulfed in a cloud of shimmering colors. It seems that their god had judged Melody worthy of the blessing. Melody doubted the Terrallan‘s god would think her worthy is they knew about her past, but she didn‘t say anything to the Magistrate.

After Tuvok made his report to the Captain, he found Melody in the observation lounge. She was curled up on one of the couches watching the Terrallan night sky. When she heard the hiss of the doors, Melody sighed quietly and closed her eyes.

"Melody?"

"Over here Tuvok," replied Melody quietly.

He crossed the room quietly to stand in front of her. "Are you all right? You did not answer the Doctor‘s com?" stated Tuvok.

"I‘m sorry, I didn‘t hear him."

"Are you concerned about what happen on the planet?"

"No, I was just thinking about the guys and their wedding."

"Are you having second thoughts about Commander Chakotay and Lt. Paris?"

"No, Tuvok, does your culture allow for same sex marriages?"

"It is not unknown, just has not been done for many centuries."

"But it‘s not forbidden. Not against the law?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"In my century it was illegal for two males or females to get married. Now it‘s a common practice. I just can‘t help but wonder what cause the change?"

"It‘s hard to tell, but if you have concerns you should speak with Commander Chakotay and Lt. Paris."

"I will, thank you. Tuvok, do you have children?"

"Yes, I have four children. Three sons and a daughter. Why do you ask?"

"Oh I was just wondering if children come out of every marriage, or can a couple truly be happy without them?"

"I would say that depends on the couple, Melody. If you asking about Lt. Paris and Commander Chakotay, you will have to ask them yourself." Replied Tuvok.

"Thank you again, I have a diagnostics with Lt. Torres tomorrow morning. I think I‘ll turn in early. Good night," said Melody as she rose and left.

"Good night, Melody." Responded Tuvok puzzled about the reason for her questions.

For the next two weeks the crew rotated down to the planet for shore leave. Melody spent most of her time in sickbay with the Doctor or with Chakotay learning the boring details of reports. While Chakotay was down on the planet one afternoon Melody took the opportunity to talk to the Doctor about something that had been bothering her since her time of the planet.

"Computer Activate Emergency Medical Holographic Program" said Melody as she entered sickbay.

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," replied the Doctor as he appeared.

"Hello Doctor."

"Oh, hello Melody. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with a hypothetical question."

"Oh course, what is your question?"

"Well, suppose that there is a male couple who wants to have a child. I know you told me that it was possible now, right?"

"Yes, there are actually several options that the so called couple could take. First they could use a cloning technique using DNA from one of the males. Second, one of them could under go hormone treatments that would allow a fertilized egg to be carried in a false uterus. Or third, a donor egg could be fertilized with sperm from both parents and implanted in a surrogate who would carry the child to full term."

"If they used the last two, would any of the genetics from the egg be present in the child?"

"Only if that is what they wanted. Normally we would change the genetic structure of the egg to completely match the males sperm."

"So it would be just theirs, there wouldn’t be any of mi...I mean the donor wouldn‘t know if their egg had been used or not," replied Melody.

"That‘s right, it was used as a blind by fertility banks in the late twenty-second century."

"Thank you Doctor, you have told me all I need to know," said Melody as she rose from the chair and started towards the door.

"Melody, can I ask what brought this on?" asked the Doctor as he stepped out of his office.

Melody stopped and slowly turned around to face him. "Uhh, oh. Something the Head Magistrate said."

"Melody, I really think you should discuss this with Commander Chakotay and Lt. Paris."

"Oh I will, thank you Doctor. Computer deactivate EMH," said Melody as she left.

For the next few days Melody was kept busy helping with things around Voyager that she gave little thought to her conversation with the Doctor. She spent time helping B‘Elanna run computer diagnostics on all Voyager‘s systems, and even spent some of her time with Neelix sorting and cataloging all the food supplies they had brought up from the planet. As the last of the away teams were transported back to Voyager, Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay meet the Head Magistrate at the transporter site.

"Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay. I hear that you are ready to leave our planet?"

"Yes Head Magistrate, we have a long journey ahead of us and need to get back on our way. I want to thank you again for the hospitality you have shown my crew, and myself" said Captain Janeway.

"You are most welcome Captain. Commander, I have the rings you bought. The metal smith regrets that he could not get them to you sooner, but believes that you will be pleased with the end results," explained the Head Magistrate as he stepped forward and handed Chakotay a small wooden box.

Chakotay opened the box to find three rings laying on a piece of soft red cloth. The first band was made of gold; the second was made of silver, while the third was a combination of two. Thin strips of silver and gold interwoven together to make a ring.

"Oh Magistrate, it is beautiful," replied Chakotay as he held up the third ring.

"The metal smith said he saw this ring in a dream after you and your companion left his shop. It is an interweaving of both of you to make another. Give it to Melody with our blessing."

"We will, thank you," said Chakotay as he gently placed the ring back in the box."

"Janeway to Voyager, two to beam up," said the Captain.

As they disappeared in the blue beam, the Head Magistrate looked up at the sky.

"May the gods watch over you, Captain," as he turned and left.

Since Voyage was traveling in friendly space Captain Janeway, B‘Elanna and Melody secretly made final arrangements for Chakotay and Tom‘s wedding. Since Melody was to take part in the ceremony they all agreed that the plans should include parts from all three of their cultures.

Chakotay made the holoprogram where the wedding would take place while Tom wrote their vows. Melody made a special holoprogram for their honeymoon and helped Neelix with the reception. When they showed her the setting she made one change adding a rose arbor for the two to stand under while saying their vows.

The night before the big day, Melody informed them that there was one more old earth custom they were going to follow. She had made arrangements for Tom to spend the night with Harry, while Chakotay was to sleep on B‘Elanna‘s couch.

"Oh come on guys, it‘s only one night. It‘s not like you haven‘t been apart before," said Melody.

"That‘s not the point Melody, it‘s a ridiculous custom," exclaimed Tom.

"Yes, but its one of my customs. We all agreed to use one custom from each of our cultures. If we were really to do this *old fashion traditional* way you two wouldn’t have even been allowed to plan the wedding, the brides family is suppose to do that," explained Melody.

"She‘s got a point Chakotay," replied Janeway.

"All right, all right. We’ll will give in for tonight," said Tom.

"Good, and remember. No late night calls or visits. Starting now you both are not to see or talk to each other until 1000 tomorrow," said Melody.

"You cant do that Melody, you‘d need command codes for that?" said Chakotay.

"She‘s got them, at least for tonight any way. I have given her use of my command codes," replied Janeway.

"Captain!"

"Spending one night apart wont hurt either of you," said Janeway.

"Come on Tom, the sooner you get this started the sooner it will be over," said Harry as he pulled Tom out of their quarters.

"You might as well give in Chakotay. You‘re not going to change her mind," said B‘Elanna

"And what are you going to be doing?" asked Chakotay.

"I‘m going to have a quiet night, then give you two away tomorrow," answered Melody.

"Kathryn, would you make sure she..."

"Chakotay!" exclaimed Janeway and Melody together.

"Come on Chakotay, if you don‘t leave now you’re not going to make your own wedding," said B‘Elanna laughing as she pulled a sputtering Chakotay out the door.

"Well, Melody. Is everything settled for tomorrow?" asked Janeway as she turned to look at the young woman standing beside her.

"Just about. I have a few more little things to do before I can call it all finished."

"Need any help?"

"Thanks. Aunt Kathryn, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what do you want to know?" asked Janeway as she sat down on the couch.

"Have you ever thought of having children?"

"Yes, I would like to have a child someday," replied Janeway as she turned to face Melody.

"Do you think that it‘s wrong for a woman to not want to have children of her own? Or use herself as a surrogate for another person‘s child?"

"What brought this on sweet?"

"Something the Head Magistrate said. He told Chakotay and Tom that they would have children when the time was right. I know that male couples can have children now, but I just don‘t see either of them carrying a child. Do you think they might consider letting me carry a child for them?"

"Oh, Melody, that’s an awfully big step to take, sweet?" said Janeway as she hugged the young woman. "Are you sure about this?" she asked as she pulled back.

"I think so. I really want the guys to have a child, but I don‘t think I could do it alone."

"If that is what you really want to do Melody then I think you need to talk to Tom and Chakotay about this," answered Janeway.

"But do you think they would consider me? I mean since I’m going to be there daughter and all?"

"Just their adopted daughter Melody, remember that genetically you have no ties to either one of them. As for if they would consider it, I honestly don’t know. That’s something you three will have to discuss,"

"Thank you, Aunt Kathryn," said Melody as she hugs her back then hands her several PADD‘s.

TBC