Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue, Paramount owns all; I hope they won’t sue. ;-) The characters of Ariana, Kathryn Paris, and Kolopak are mine, and the rest belong to the great and wonderful Wizard of Oz—er, Paramount. :-) Copyright January 1997 by JoAnna Walsvik. Spread around if you must, but give me the credit. And please please please please send me feedback.
Author’s note: The @@@’s indicate a change of scene and/or time and place on Voyager. The ***’s indicate a change from the future, from when Admiral Janeway is talking to her granddaughter, to the time in which this story takes place. Enjoy!
Summary: An elderly Admiral Kathryn Janeway tells a story to her five-year-old granddaughter, Ariana, about her life on Voyager.
Tell Me A Story -Voy; J/C and P/T; PG
by JoAnna Walsvik
"Grandma, tell me a story."
Admiral Kathryn Janeway, long since retired from Starfleet, stroked her granddaughter’s auburn tresses affectionately. "Let’s see; a story. How about I tell you about your Uncle Tuvok’s latest paper on—"
"No, Grandma!" little Ariana pouted. "I want to hear a real story. Tell me a story about Voyager.""About Voyager?" Janeway said, feigning amazement. "You don’t want to hear another story about that old ship, do you?"
"Yes." Ariana stubbornly glared at her grandmother with a pair of very familiar dark brown eyes.
"Well, let’s see," her grandmother said thoughtfully. "Have I ever told you the story of how your Grandpa Chakotay and I were married and had your daddy? Or how your Grandpa and Grandma Paris had your mommy?"
"Uh uh." The little girl said, settling herself on the floor by Janeway’s knee. "Tell me, Grandma. Tell me."
Kathryn Janeway smiled at her granddaughter. "Well, it all started one day when Voyager had been in the Delta Quadrant for almost six years. Now, during the time your Grandpa Chakotay and I were dating, your Grandma B’Elanna and your Grandpa Tom had already gotten married. In fact, they celebrated their six-month anniversary on my wedding day. But, your Grandpa Chakotay and I hadn’t gotten married yet; in fact, he proposed to me that very night. I can still remember my reaction to his proposal..."
"You want to what?" Kathryn Janeway stared at her first officer in astonishment.
"I want to get married," Chakotay repeated. "Come on, Kathryn. We’ve been together for over three years. The crew sees us as a permanent couple. It’s high time we did something about it. I’m tired of going to your quarters every night."
"Couldn’t we just...live together? Besides, I’m the captain.
Who would perform the ceremony—that is, if I even said yes?""Just live together? Is that the kind of example you want to set for the crew? You know as well as I that it would give them the impression that we aren’t serious about this relationship. And, I’ve checked Starfleet regulations. If the captain or the first officer is not available to perform a marriage ceremony, then the next highest ranking officer has the authorization to do so. That’s Tuvok. And I’m sure he’d be happy to marry us," Chakotay said patiently. "I didn’t come to this decision lightly, Kathryn. I’ve thought about it for a long time. I love you. And I want to marry you."
Janeway began to pace around the room. "But marriage?
That’s a lifelong commitment."
"And you aren’t prepared for a lifelong commitment?"
Somehow, Chakotay didn’t believe that."It’s not that, it’s just that...I guess you could say that I’m already married—to this ship and her crew. My first priority is them, Chakotay. My personal life has to come second."
"I understand," he said quietly. "I feel the same way. So what’s the problem?"
"The problem?" She stared at him in disbelief. Couldn’t he see? "The problem is, if we were married one of us might use our personal feelings to make decisions for Voyager or her crew. That can be disastrous on a starship."
"Kathryn, we’ve been together for the past three years. In all that time, can you honestly say that either one of us has used our feelings for each other to affect any decision we made?"
"Well, no, but—"
"You’re stalling." Chakotay’s voice was sharp. "I want a straight answer from you, Kathryn. Will you or will you not marry me?"
She brought her gaze to meet his, and he could see her blue eyes were troubled. "I—I don’t know. I just don’t know."
Chakotay remained silent, but it was clear that his feelings were hurt. "You don’t love me?" he asked, his dark ebony eyes filled with honest bewilderment and sadness.
"No—no! I do love you, Chakotay. I love you with all my heart, but...well..." She trailed off and stared miserably at the floor. This was not how she had thought the evening would turn out.
"You need some time. I understand." He stood up and gently kissed her on the cheek. Her gaze remained fixed on the pale gray carpet. "Good night, Kathryn." Then, for the first night in a long while, he left her quarters to stay in his own.
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Janeway stood nervously in the corridor, racked with indecision. Was she going to the right person? She needed someone to talk to. Under any other circumstances the first person she’d go to would be Chakotay. Tuvok was out of the question; he was a good friend but logic wouldn’t help in matters of the heart. Kes was just too inexperienced to talk with; she was married to the only man she had ever dated and pregnant with that man’s child. There was really no one else she could confide in...except for one person.And she was standing outside that person’s door now.
Come on, Kathryn, get a hold of yourself, she scolded herself firmly. Ring the damn doorbell.
She rang it; and waited."Enter," was the reply from within. Janeway took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
"Captain," a surprised B’Elanna Paris greeted her. "Can I help you?" This was the first time in six years Janeway had ever come to her and Tom’s quarters. It couldn’t be about business; Janeway looked exceedingly nervous.
"Actually, yes. I—I need to talk to you." Janeway hoped B’Elanna couldn’t hear the tremor in her voice.
B’Elanna could hear it clearly. "Please, sit down." Janeway sat, and B’Elanna eyed her worriedly. She was clearly very nervous about something, but B’Elanna coudn’t imagine why Janeway would come to her chief engineer, of all people, if she had a personal problem. "Is something wrong?"
"Very. I—I need someone to talk to.""Tuvok wasn’t available?" B’Elanna silently cursed herself.
*Good going, B’Elanna. Did that sound as rude as I thought it did?*But the captain didn’t seem offended at all. Instead, she glanced up at B’Elanna rather apologetically. "I mean, woman to woman."
"Oh, I see. What about?""Well, it’s just that—that—" Janeway broke off.
Before she could stop herself, she burst into tears."Captain?" B’Elanna stared at her superior officer despairingly. What the hell was she supposed to do? Janeway obviously needed comfort from someone, but she had always been rotten at consoling people.
Helplessly, she sat down next to the captain and put a tentative arm around the sobbing woman’s shoulders. She didn’t know what else to do.
But apparently, a sympathetic touch was all Janeway needed. Her tears stopped as quickly as they had come, and she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I—I’m sorry," she hiccuped.
"I—"
"Hey, it’s okay," B’Elanna said gently. She replicated a steaming hot cup of coffee and set it in Janeway’s trembling hands. "Here. Drink this."
Janeway obediently took a small sip, and the comforting aroma seemed to soothe her a bit. "Now, can you tell me what’s wrong? Why are you so upset?" B’Elanna asked, her voice laced with concern.
"It—it’s Chakotay," Janeway said softly, her eyes welling up with tears again.
"Chakotay? Did you two have a fight?""No, he—last night, he—he asked me to marry him."
B’Elanna blinked in surprise. That had been the last thing she had expected. "Oh, I—I see. Is—is that a bad thing?" Janeway remained silent, and B’Elanna became alarmed. "You said no?"
"I—I said I needed more time. Oh, B’Elanna, I don’t know what to do!" Janeway jumped up and began to pace. "I love him, I love him dearly, it’s just that—well—I don’t know if I’m ready for this! I mean, marriage is a big step, a very big step. I just don’t know if I...." She trailed off, beginning to pace even faster.
B’Elanna now understood. "Captain, did you have someone—special—back in the Alpha Quadrant?" she asked gently.
Janeway stopped dead in her tracks at simply stared at B’Elanna. Slowly, she sat down. "Yes. Yes, I did," she admitted quietly.
"And do you feel like you would be betraying him if you married Chakotay?"
Janeway looked at her chief engineer with newfound respect. B’Elanna had just voiced the very concern she had, deep down, been feeling but had been too afraid to admit. "I guess so. Mark—that’s his name, Mark—we were very close. I had the feeling that he was going to propose to me any day."
"Do you still love him?"Janeway sighed. "That’s the problem. I—I don’t think so.
I mean, I’m fond of him, but not in the way I was before. I still miss him, but like—like—"
"Like a brother?" B’Elanna supplied."Yes. That’s it exactly," Janeway agreed. "I just don’t know what I’d do if we got home and Mark still loved me. He’s always been sensitive, and I’m afraid that my marrying another man would just about kill him."
B’Elanna suppressed a smile. So all Janeway was concerned about was the feelings of her former lover. "Captain, I think it’s pretty safe to bet that Mark’s feelings for you have cooled as well. It’s been six years. He probably has assumed you were killed and has gotten on with his life. Maybe he’s married by now. But I think you have to stop being concerned for his feelings and start caring for your own." B’Elanna paused slightly. "For example, if there were to be an accident, and Chakotay was—killed—how would you feel?"
Janeway’s face turned ashen at the mere thought of it. "I—I’d be devastated. I wouldn’t be able to go on without him.""Then I think you have your answer." B’Elanna sat back and looked at Janeway expectantly.
The captain slowly considered this. B’Elanna was absolutely right. If something happened to Chakotay, her life would be over. She would always regret not saying yes to his proposal.
Her purpose was clear.She looked up at her chief engineer. "Thank you," she said earnestly. "Thank you very much."
B’Elanna smiled. "My door is always open if you ever need to talk."
Janeway smiled also. "I just wish I had come sooner." She stood up, and glanced at the door. "Now, if you’ll excuse me..."
"Go to your fiancee," B’Elanna grinned. "And congratulations."
"Thank you." And she was gone. Before B’Elanna could gather her rather bewildered thoughts, Janeway was back. "You won’t tell anyone quite yet, will you?" she asked worriedly.
"Not a word," her chief engineer promised. And again the captain vanished.
B’Elanna Paris grinned. She felt—well, damn good about herself right about now.
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Janeway pressed the chime for Chakotay’s quarters and waited impatiently. He had to be there. He just had to be.
The doors slid open to reveal her first officer, dressed and ready for bed. "Kathryn?" he said with some confusion.
Before he could say another word, her lips were on his. "Kathryn?" he said once the kiss had ended, and an unasked question was in his voice.
"Yes. Yes, I will marry you," she said, and kissed him again. "I love you, Chakotay."
"I love you too," he agreed, rather dazed—but happy—at her sudden acceptance. "What changed your mind?"
"It’s a long story," she smiled. "I’ll tell you later. Right now, we have more important things to attend to. Should we set a date?"
Chakotay couldn’t help but grin. She was still the same practical Kathryn Janeway. "Later," he told her, disappearing into his bedroom and reappearing with a small black box in his hands. He opened it up and slipped something small and gold on her finger.
Janeway gasped. "Oh, it’s beautiful!" she said, admiring the solid gold band with a lone, twinkling diamond. It was simple but elegant, just the sort of jewelry she loved. "Thank you."
"My pleasure," he said modestly. Then, with an impish sparkle in his eye, he added, "Mrs. Chakotay."
"Mrs. Chakotay? I’ll be damned if I—" she protested laughingly, but Chakotay silenced her with a kiss.
"And then you and Grandpa Chakotay got married," Ariana said brightly, climbing into her grandmother’s lap.
"We got married," Janeway agreed, smiling at her. "Exactly two weeks later. Uncle Tuvok performed the ceremony, and Grandma B’Elanna was my maid of honor."
"And Grandpa Tom was Grandpa Chakotay’s best man," Ariana finished.
"That’s right, sweetheart.""But, Grandma, you still haven’t told me how Grandma B’Elanna and Grandpa Tom had mommy!" Ariana said impatiently.
"I was getting to that. Be patient," she told her granddaughter. "And just a few months after my marriage—"
"—and after your honeymoon—" Ariana interrupted."—after our honeymoon," her grandmother continued, a faint blush spreading over her face, "I went to tell your Grandpa Chakotay some wonderful news."
"You’re what?" Chakotay stared at his bride of three months in complete astonishment.
"I’m pregnant!" Janeway had to laugh at the completely dumbfounded expression on her husband’s face. "Can you believe it?"
"No, actually, I can’t." Chakotay sank down into a nearby chair, his legs having turned to jelly. "How—how did this happen?"
"Well, the sperm reaches the egg—"
"Kathryn!" He gave her an exasperated look. "I know that."
"Just checking." Janeway couldn’t hide the broad smile that crossed her face.
"What I mean is," Chakotay continued, ignoring the smile, "you know as well as I that the doctor told you that since you were considerably older then most women of childbearing age and I older then most fathers, our chances of conceiving without medical assistance were slim to none. How did this happen?"
"He said slim to none," Janeway pointed out. "And we, my dear, just beat the odds. The doctor says we’ll have a bouncing baby boy or girl in about eight months."
"Eight months? That long?""Long? I’m only three weeks pregnant." She paused slightly, and regarded him carefully. He seemed more stunned then anything else; she couldn’t tell if he was happy or not. "Are you glad?"
Slowly, the stunned look passed from Chakotay’s face, and a rather delighted grin replaced it. "Glad? Darling, I’m ecstatic!" And to prove it, he picked her up and swung her around, shouting, "I’m going to be a father!"
"Chakotay, hush," she scolded laughingly. "Someone will hear you."
"Hear me? I want everyone to hear me! This is great news!" he exclaimed, but he lowered his voice anyway. "When are we going to tell the crew?"
"As soon as possible," she promised. "But there’s someone I want to tell first."
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"Captain!" B’Elanna Paris said in surprise, greeting Janeway at her door. "Come in. What can I do for you?" *I don’t think she had a fight with Chakotay,* she thought, gazing at the captain discreetly. *She looks positively ecstatic. I wonder what she’s up to?*"B’Elanna, I’m so happy I’m about to burst," Janeway said, her eyes sparkling. "I wanted you to be the first to know—I’m pregnant!"
Instead of the joyful reaction she had expected, B’Elanna merely stared at her in astonishment. "You’re kidding."
"No, I’m not. I’m really pregnant." Janeway smiled at her chief engineer. "Well, aren’t you going to congratulate me?"
"Oh, my—you’re really serious, aren’t you?" B’Elanna couldn’t seem to get over the shock.
"Yes, I’m serious," Janeway assured her with a note of exasperation. "What is so hard to comprehend about my being pregnant?"
"It’s not that, it’s just that—so am I!"Now it was Janeway who stared in astonishment. "So are you? You mean...?"
"I’m pregnant too!" B’Elanna exclaimed, a smile crossing her face.
Simultaneously, both women started to laugh. The entire situation stuck both of them as being outrageously funny. That both of them would become pregnant at the same time was so uncanny it was hilarious.
"How far along are you?" Janeway asked when their giggles had ceased.
"Two weeks. Tom and I—well, we’ve been trying for months," B’Elanna confided. "We, ah, we haven’t had any luck until this morning. I scanned myself with the tricorder, and then went to the doctor to confirm my findings, and, well—I’m pregnant! But what about you—how far are you?"
"Three weeks," Janeway answered. "But, B’Elanna, what you said before—you and Tom have been trying for months?"
"Ever since we got married," B’Elanna confirmed. "Tom wanted to start a family right away, and I agreed."
"And yet you consoled me when I came to you for help," Janeway said guiltily. "To think I had to go and unburden all my troubles on you when you were trying to have a baby—""Hey, don’t worry about it," B’Elanna said reassuringly. "I was glad to help. The important thing is that I am pregnant now -- and so are you!"
"I wonder what the reaction of the crew will be.""Everyone will be thrilled. We’ve been wondering if or when you and Chakotay were going to have kids."
Janeway raised her eyebrows. "Have our reproductive abilities been a hot topic for discussion?"
"Try the only topic." B’Elanna laughed when she saw Janeway’s startled expression. "No, I’m just kidding. Actually, it just came up one day in the Mess Hall and a few people were discussing it. No one has really talked about it since."
"And what was the crew’s opinion?""Well, most of us weren’t sure. We thought that after the episode with Seska, Chakotay wouldn’t want to have a baby. But Harry was positive that you two would have at least one child. He said that with genes like yours, you had to pass them along."
Janeway burst out laughing. "Leave it to Harry," she chuckled. "Actually, we never really discussed it—having children, I mean. This was a complete surprise to both of us. The doctor had told us that since we were considerably older then most couples of childbearing age, our chances of conceiving without medical assistance were slim to none. So we were not expecting this. But Chakotay is thrilled anyway. He was shocked, at first, but he’s happy."
"Tom doesn’t even know yet," B’Elannna said. "He had already gone on duty when I found out. In fact, I’m waiting for him to come home—""Hi, honey, I’m home!" Tom Paris called cheerfully, walking through the doors. "I—oh, hello, Captain. Hey, Chakotay told me the good news. Congratulations."
"Chakotay told you already?" Janeway repeated. "Who else is he telling?"
"Everyone within earshot," Tom grinned. "He’s really excited about this."
Janeway rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "I wonder how he’ll react when he hears who else is pregnant," she said, winking at B’Elanna.
"Someone else is pregnant?" Tom asked. "Boy, we’re having a regular baby boom. Who’s the lucky couple?"
"We are," B’Elanna said quietly."Really? That’s great, honey. I—" Suddenly, the full impact of what she had said hit Tom like a torpedo. "We—we are?!"
"We are," B’Elanna nodded, a wide smile crossing her face.
"I’m pregnant!""Oh, my—" Tom swept his wife up into his arms and hugged her ecstatically. B’Elanna laughed, delighted at his happiness. "We’re going to have a baby!"
"Congratulations, Tom," Janeway smiled. "You’ll make a wonderful father."
"Oh—uh, thanks," he said, glancing at his captain. In his happiness, he had forgotten she was there. Then, he had a realization. "Hey...you two are going to be pregnant together!"
Janeway and B’Elanna looked at each other and laughed. "I guess we are," the captain admitted. "What great timing, huh?"
"Actually," B’Elanna said, "not quite together. The doctor says that because of my Klingon genes, our little one will be arriving in ten months instead of the usual nine."
"The doctor knew about this? And he didn’t tell me?" Tom protested.
"I told him I wanted to tell you myself," the ever-practical B’Elanna said. "Besides, you would have been too excited to work all day if I had told you."
Tom opened his mouth, then closed it again. He knew what his wife was saying was true. As it was, he could barely keep from getting on the ship-wide comm system and shouting the fabulous news to everyone.
"Well," Janeway said, standing and giving a quick glance to the chronometer, "I had better go and make sure my husband isn’t annoying the hell out of everybody with his enthusiasm."
"Chakotay? Annoying? That’s an oxymoron, Captain," B’Elanna grinned, but she stood as well.
"I’ll tell him you said so," Janeway joked, smiling warmly at her chief engineer. "Again, congratulations to the both of you."
"Likewise," B’Elanna agreed. "Good night, Captain.""And give Chakotay our congratulations," Tom added.
"I will," Janeway promised. "Good night." And she was
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"It’s a boy!"
Cheers and applause rang throughout the ship as Harry Kim, over the ship-wide comm system, announced the news everyone had been waiting for since Captain Janeway had gone into labor thirty-six hours before.
Eight months had passed since Captain Janeway had made the formal announcement of her pregnancy. As B’Elanna Paris had foretold, the crew had been delighted with the news. Janeway had been fawned over and waited on hand and foot until she was nearly sick of all the attention.
However, no one was more attentive or watchful then her husband. Chakotay had officially earned the title of "The Delta Quadrant’s Most Overprotective Father-To-Be." He was hesitant to let her out of his sight, even for an instant. If she so much as picked up a tricorder without assistance, he would rush to help her. He even asked other crewmembers to watch over her when he wasn’t available. Finally, late in her pregnancy, after almost seven months of Chakotay’s overzealous protection, Janeway threatened to throw him out the nearest airlock unless he stayed away from her. After that, Chakotay backed off a little, but his protective nature was still very much in evidence.
To her chagrin, the doctor had insisted of relieving her of duty once she approached her due date. "If there should be an accident or an attack," the obstinate hologram lectured, "I don’t want you and the baby right in the middle of it. In cases like this, Captain, the authority of the CMO overrides your own, so don’t try to argue." After an initial protest, Janeway had agreed to the temporary leave of absence, leaving Chakotay in command. Even with her not on the bridge, Chakotay would call her every five minutes just to make sure she was all right. Janeway privately wondered what would come first: their baby’s birth or herself going insane.
Finally, early one morning just three days before her due date, Janeway went into labor. And after thirty-six hours of interminable waiting, Kes contacted the bridge with the happy news that Captain Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay were the proud parents of a brand new, eight pound five ounce bouncing baby boy. Harry Kim, who was on bridge watch, immediately related the news via the comm system.
In their quarters, Tom Paris patted his wife’s swollen belly and smiled at her. Although B’Elanna still had a month to go before her due date, the doctor had insisted on relieving her of duty as well, since Engineering was a dangerous place during an attack or accident. B’Elanna hadn’t put up much of a protest, seeing how Janeway had complied with the doctor’s same order.
Since the crew had been delighted at Janeway’s pregnancy, they had went wild when they learned Tom and B’Elanna were expecting a child as well. B’Elanna had received much the same overwhelming attention as Janeway, and was equally sick of it. Tom wasn’t as overprotective as Chakotay, although he was almost as bad. Tom knew the extent of his wife’s temper, and wisely kept out of her way whenever she snapped at him for being too protective. Other then these minor discords, B’Elanna’s pregnancy was proceeding smoothly.
B’Elanna and Janeway had grown to be very close friends during their corresponding pregnancies, both being the only woman aboard who could sympathize with the other’s bouts of morning sickness, or swollen ankles, or aching backs. They now existed on a first name basis; B’Elanna calling Janeway "Captain" only when they were on the bridge. Off duty, it was Kathryn. This kind of friendship with a superior officer was new to B’Elanna, and she enjoyed it immensely.
It was soon learned that Chakotay and Janeway had named their new son Kolopak, after Chakotay’s father. Little Kolopak quickly became a favorite of everyone aboard ship. With his father’s dark eyes and his mother’s auburn hair, he was an adorable little boy with a smile that would melt the heart of even the most stoic Vulcan. Nothing delighted him more then to be taken to the Mess Hall where he could be worshipped by all the crew. Tuvok, although he would never admit it, was one of the little boy’s most devoted followers and spent countless hours singing Vulcan legends or doing other activites with Kolopak.
B’Elanna and Tom adored Kolopak as well, and were especially honored at being named godparents of the small child, along with Tuvok. But as much as they loved Kolopak, nothing could equal the excitement or anticipation of having their own child.
So, both B’Elanna and Tom were delighted when, exactly a month after Kolopak’s birth, B’Elanna went into labor as well. After only twelve hours, Tom and B’Elanna Paris became the parents of a baby girl, named Kathryn Kim Paris.
Little Kathryn was a beautiful child. She had clinging golden curls all over her small head, and big violet eyes with long, thick lashes. Tom knew that the hair had been inherited from himself, but his daughter’s striking eyes remained a puzzle. The mystery was soon solved when B’Elanna said softly, after holding her daughter for the first time, "She has my mother’s eyes."
Just like Kolopak, little Kathryn became the darling of the crew. She wasn’t a bit shy and delighted in being held or fussed over. Her namesakes and godparents, Janeway and Harry, spoiled her rotten, as did her other godfather, Chakotay.
Kolopak and Kathryn, as they got older, became the best of friends. Rarely was one seen without the other. They were bestowed the nickname of "The Terrible Twosome" after they became toddlers, for their exploits around the ship kept their harried parents busy trying to keep up with them. They snuck into Neelix’s kitchen and made a ghastly mess, they played with the doctor’s instruments until the poor hologram was driven to near distraction trying to baby-proof his sickbay, and they delighted in playing tag throughout the corridors, nearly tripping everyone who stumbled into their path.
They also began to show distinct personalities. Kolopak showed a definite affinity for the bridge, and never tired of sitting in "Mama’s big chair" while he pretended to command Voyager. The bridge crew got a kick out of hearing his tiny voice telling them to set a course for the Alpha Quadrant at maximum warp. He had his father’s patience, combined with his mother’s stubborness.
Kathryn had her father’s easygoing nature but her mother’s fierce temper. Although no ridges appeared on her smooth forehead, her Klingon genes were very much in evidence when she got into a rage. She preferred Engineering rather then the bridge; and was enchanted by her mother explaining the workings of the warp core. She often stated she was going to be "a engineer just like Mommy," and nothing could dissuade her.
And then, something unexpected but welcomed happened when the two children were just five years old: Voyager found a wormhole to the Alpha Quadrant, and finally got home.
Looking down, Janeway discovered that little Ariana was sound asleep. "Sweet dreams, little one," she whispered, kissing her granddaughter softly.
"Is she asleep?" The quiet query from the door drew Janeway’s attention away from the child in her arms.
Janeway smiled at her daughter-in-law. "Sound asleep. I told her a story and she drifted off."
"Here, let me take her. She must be heavy." Kathryn Paris gently lifted her small daughter from the arms of her grandmother. "Was she good?"
"Angelic, as always," the admiral told her."Angelic. Somehow, I doubt that. She has more of Mother in her then I care to admit," Kathryn grinned. "But thank you for watching her. I didn’t think she’d be interested in Klingon Opera, even considering her Klingon genes."
"My pleasure. It’s always a joy to baby-sit. She looks so much like Chakotay it’s amazing."
"Isn’t it? Kolopak was so proud of her when she was born.
But Chakotay thinks she looks like you.""The hair is mine, but the eyes are his," Janeway disagreed lightly. "She has Tom’s smile, though."
"Dad agrees with you there," Kathryn grinned."What are you three women doing in there?" Kolopak asked, entering the room. "Come on, Kathryn. We’re going to be late."
"Kolopak, you are the captain of the Endeavor. It’s not like they’re going to leave without you," Kathryn said, rolling her eyes as she smiled fondly at her husband. "Besides, we’re not scheduled to leave DS9 for a few hours yet."
"Captain Kolopak of the U.S.S. Endeavor. I’m never going to get tired of hearing that," Janeway commented, smiling at her son.
"Tell that to my chief engineer," he said, winking at his wife. "She gets plenty tired of hearing it."
"Only because that’s what I have to call you all the time," she retorted, handing his daughter to him. "Here, take her."
"Hiya, Angel," Kolopak whispered to his sleeping daughter. Then, he turned his attention back to his mother. "Oh, Mom, B’Elanna and Tom send their love. They want to know when you and Dad are going to come visit."
"In a few days," Janeway promised. "As soon as your father returns from the Gamma Quadrant, we’re going to catch the next transport to Earth."
"Great; I’ll tell them," Kolopak approved. "Bye, Mom.
Thanks again."
"Yes, thank you," Kathryn added. "Good-bye.""Good-bye," Janeway called, watching her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter leave. "Come again!"
THE END