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Date: Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:48:48 -0400
Subject: [ASC] NEW:VOY "In Pursuit of Justice" 7/13 J [PG-13]
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Forwarded by the ASC-VSO 
Posted: 3 Jun 2004 13:28:59 -0700  
In: alt.startrek.creative 
From: roq@iname.com (Rocky) 
 

Title: In Pursuit Of Justice
Author: Rocky
Contact: roq@iname.com
Web page: http://www.angelfire.com/yt/rockyroad
Series: VOY
Part: 7/13
Codes: J
Rating: PG-13
Date first posted: 6/3/04
Archive: ASC yes, all others please ask

Summary & Disclaimer: see part 1


Chakotay moved the sugar bowl closer to her. "Here you go," he said.

Janeway made no move to take it. "Thank you, but I prefer my coffee
black."

He smiled. "That's right, I'd forgotten." He paused in the act of
stirring his own sweetened and milky brew. "You don't like anything
coming in between you and the pure taste."

Janeway picked up her cup, the warmth welcome in her hands, and took a
sip. She glanced around the café, nearly empty now that the lunchtime
rush was over. The only other patrons, like Chakotay, were clad in
civilian attire. She felt conspicuous in her uniform.

She took a deep breath. "Why did you want to see me, Chakotay?"

If he regretted the cessation of his attempted small talk, he didn't
show it. "I've been meaning to call you for a while," Chakotay said.
"See how you're doing. But once I was served with the subpoena--as a
witness, I wasn't allowed to contact you--"

"So there wouldn't be the appearance of any tampering on my part,"
Janeway said.

"Yes." Chakotay grimaced, then went on in a rush, "About the other
day, Kathryn, what I said on the stand...I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"What I said." He sighed heavily. "I didn't agree with your actions,
the way you handled Lessing. I thought you'd gone to the brink, but--"

"I heard your testimony." Forcing her thoughts from Chakotay's
statements, as well as the other prosecution witnesses, Janeway gazed
at him for a long moment. "What I don't understand is why you're here
now."

He made as if to reach across the table for her hand, then stopped. "I
just want to help you," Chakotay said quietly. "That's all I ever
wanted."

She glanced down at the smooth laminate finish of the table surface.
"You don't owe me anything, Chakotay."

"Yes, I do," he insisted. "And even if I didn't, I don't like to see
you going through this ordeal."

Janeway gave a bitter laugh. "Even though it's justified, from your
perspective?"

Chakotay winced. "I'm not here to pass judgment on you."

"But you think I'm guilty. You thought it then, and you still think it
now."

"That's not the issue." Chakotay sighed again, more heavily this time.
"Regardless, I feel terrible about this whole business. And I
can't--you shouldn't have to go through this alone, without anyone
there to support you." Now he did take her hand. "Where's your family,
Kathryn?"

"My mother died two months before Voyager's return," she said quietly
and disengaged her fingers from his grasp.

"And your sister?" he persisted.

"She's living off-planet, a minimum of two weeks' journey from Earth."

"Haven't you seen her since you got back?" Not giving her a chance to
answer, Chakotay continued, "Even if you have, surely she'd want to be
with you now."

Purely by chance, Phoebe *had* been on Earth when Voyager returned
home, still dealing with the details of their mother's estate. As glad
as she was to see her sister, it had been a bittersweet homecoming for
Janeway. Phoebe had left three weeks later, gone back to pick up the
threads of her own life which had been put on hold for too long. Over
the next few months, the two women had kept in regular contact, but
Janeway had been adamant about not notifying Phoebe about the Article
32 hearing and then later, the court-martial -- she, couldn't bring
herself to selfishly disrupt her sister's existence once again.
Phoebe's presence might have brought some measure of comfort, but
practically speaking, there was really nothing she could do. Better to
leave her where she was.

As these thoughts went through Janeway's mind, she saw the dawning
comprehension on Chakotay's face, along with more than a hint of
compassion. A sudden, unreasoning fury rose in her. "I don't want your
pity, Chakotay, or to be a sop for your conscience."

"What are you talking about? All I meant was—"

"It's a little late for regrets," Janeway said harshly. "You don't owe
me anything, Chakotay. You did what you had to do--just as I did."

Chakotay opened his mouth, then closed it again. An awkward silence
fell.

The waiter approached. "Will there be anything else?"

Janeway shook her head. "No, thank you. Just the check, please." She
watched his retreating back, then looked again at Chakotay, who was
regarding her sadly. She searched for something neutral to say.

"How is Seven, by the way?" Janeway said at last. "I meant to ask you
earlier."

"She's fine."

"How was the honeymoon?"

Chakotay looked startled. "What?"

"I heard you were recently off-world on your honeymoon," Janeway said,
feeling vaguely foolish.

"No, I went back to Dorvin to look up some family members and
friends," Chakotay said, shaking his head. "Seven wasn't even with me.
She was in Stockholm, with her aunt. Irene hasn't been too well
lately, and Seven felt she should stay nearby."

"I see," Janeway said. "Is her aunt doing better?"

"Yes, fortunately, but she's still rather frail. Seven was ready to
cancel her trip to Starbase Four for the Astrometrics symposium, but
finally decided to go after all, when Irene insisted. She'll be back
in another ten days."

That explained Seven's absence. "Is a wedding in the works?" Janeway
asked curiously.

"We haven't really discussed it," Chakotay said, playing with his
spoon. "We're still adjusting to being back home. It hasn't exactly
been an easy transition, for any of us."

"No, it hasn't." 

With relief, Janeway saw the waiter returning. She handed him her
credit chit and rose. "Please give my regards to Seven the next time
you speak to her, Chakotay," she said.

"I will." Chakotay rose as well. "Kathryn, I meant what I said
earlier, if you need a friend to help you through--"

"I appreciate your offer, but that won't be necessary," she said
brusquely, then turned to go. "I need to get back to the courtroom for
the afternoon session."

She strode away rapidly, never looking back.

***

The court-martial continued, seemingly at a snail's pace, though with
the start of the defense presentation, Janeway hoped things would
speed up.

"It's not usual procedure for it to take this long," Perry confided
during a recess. He quickly added, "Not that I've been involved with
that many cases yet."

"How long have you been practicing?" Janeway asked curiously.

"I got my law degree last year," Perry said, a bit self-consciously.

Janeway nodded; she'd guessed as much. Perry was forever coming up
with different theories, of possible tactics and defenses, that on
closer examination did not prove to be practical, or even all that
applicable to her situation. And yet his detailed knowledge of the law
was clearly evident. "Have you been working with Captain Gaines ever
since?"

"I spent some time clerking for Admiral Costas—do you know him? Head
of the legal division of Interstellar Relations?—and transferred over
to Captain Gaines' office five months ago." Perry cleared his throat.
"I know I don't have much experience, but I can tell you Captain
Gaines is one of the best attorneys in the entire department. I know
he's not always that, uh, accommodating, or even, truth be told, all
that pleasant at times, but I've seen him in some really tough
situations and, well, he's very good."

Janeway repressed the urge to laugh. Things must be in a sorry state
if Perry felt the need to reassure her. "So you're saying I don't have
anything to worry about."

"Well, you are being court-martialed," Perry said, quite seriously.
"But with Captain Gaines in your corner, you've got a good chance of
acquittal."

"I wonder if he shares your optimism." At Perry's shocked expression,
Janeway realized she'd said it out loud. "What I mean is Captain
Gaines has been very quick to urge me to accept a plea, rather than
fight."

"That's standard procedure," Perry said. "Especially in the pre-trial
phase, it's usual for the counsels to propose a deal. If they can
reach a satisfactory agreement, it saves having to go through the
whole arduous procedure of a court-martial."

Janeway recalled how adamant Gaines had been in suggesting she change
her plea, as well as how equally firm she'd been in refusing to even
consider it. "Do you think I should have listened to him, pled
guilty?" she said, then chided herself for asking. What difference did
it make what Perry thought?

But Perry considered the question carefully. "That depends," he said
at last. "If you truly believe what you did was right—if you had it
all to do again, you would without changing a thing—then no, you
shouldn't change your plea." Without a trace of irony, he added, "That
wouldn't serve the interests of justice, would it?"

End part 7

--
Forwarded to ASCL by:
Stephen Ratliff
ASC Stories Only Forwarding

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