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Date: Sat, 05 Jun 2004 17:48:51 -0400
Subject: [ASC] NEW:VOY "In Pursuit of Justice" 8/13 J [PG-13]
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Forwarded by the ASC-VSO 
Posted: 3 Jun 2004 13:30:45 -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: 8/13
Codes: J
Rating: PG-13
Date first posted: 6/3/04
Archive: ASC yes, all others please ask

Summary & Disclaimer: see part 1

The Paris home was as stately and imposing as Janeway remembered it.
Years earlier, she and Mark had been here on many occasions, most of
them formal Starfleet functions. Owen and his wife had entertained
quite a bit in those days--when he was on the planet, that is.

"Kathryn, so nice to see you," Alicia Paris said as she opened the
heavy mahogany and glass door. "It's been far too long since you've
been by."

Janeway smiled politely. "It's good to be back. How are you?"

"Fine, just fine," Alicia said, ushering her down the hallway. "I'm
sorry, Owen is running late. He just called and said he'll be another
half hour."

Janeway nodded slowly, striving to keep her irritation from showing .
It had been a long day and she wanted nothing more than to go home and
soak in a hot tub of water, which would hopefully soothe her jangled
nerves. But an 'invitation'—more like a formal summons, for all that
Owen had specified meeting in his home instead of his office at
HQ--from her former mentor was not something to be lightly
disregarded. "Well, don't worry about entertaining me, I'm sure you
have many other things to do. I can just wait in the library."

"If you prefer," Alicia said with a smile. She threw open another door
and beckoned to someone within. "Or you might find some more congenial
company in the family room."

"No, really, that's quite all right," Janeway began, and then stopped.
"B'Elanna?"

 "Hello, Captain," B'Elanna said, straightening up from the playpen in
the corner.

"Kathryn," Janeway corrected, as she came over and gave her a hug.
"How are you doing? I didn't expect to see you here."

"Tom is spending the day in Australia, seeing a friend about a
possible position in his company. So we thought we'd get some quality
time with Grandma," B'Elanna said, gesturing to the baby lying on her
back inside the mesh enclosure.

Miral regarded them both intently over the top of her bottle and
continued sucking noisily.

"She's gotten so big," Janeway said, leaning closer to peer into the
large dark eyes. "May I?" She lifted the baby, bottle and all, and
gently smoothed the curls off her forehead ridges. "Yes, you're a big
girl now, aren't you?"

"She certainly is," Alicia agreed. "And Grandma is loving every minute
of this visit."

Miral gave a playful chortle and batted Janeway's nose, then reached
for the captain's pips.

"Starting a little young," Janeway said, laughing. "You're going to
have to earn those for yourself, young lady."

B'Elanna unclenched her daughter's fist, prying out the small gold
discs. "No, sweetie, those don't go in your mouth."

"Here, I'll take her," Alicia said. "B'Elanna, would you like me to
give her a bath and put her to bed?"

"I'd appreciate it," B'Elanna said, relinquishing her daughter with
alacrity. "I think she's just about ready, especially as she didn't
really nap this afternoon. I'll be up in a while—"

"Don't worry about a thing," Alicia said firmly. "I still remember how
to do this!"

"I'm sure," Janeway said, smiling as Alicia took the baby out. She
turned to B'Elanna. "I remember my grandmother saying that considering
how much more she enjoyed them, she should have had her grandchildren
first! Compared to children, they're a pleasure instead of a chore."

"Tom's mother is definitely enjoying herself," B'Elanna agreed. "It's
been a while since she's had a baby to fuss over, as her other
grandchildren are a lot older."

"That makes sense, considering that Tom's the youngest of his
siblings." Janeway accepted the glass of pale blue liquid B'Elanna
handed her. "You look good, B'Elanna, like life is treating you well
these days."

"Thanks." B'Elanna sat down on the couch after first moving a stuffed
targ out of the way. "It's been a little odd, being out of Starfleet
after so many years, but we're doing pretty well."

"I heard you're working as a civilian contractor for the Corps of
Engineers?"

"More like a consultant, filling them in on the various modifications
we made to Voyager over the years. And of course helping them make
sense of all the alien technology we brought back from the Delta
Quadrant."

"That should be enough to keep you busy for a while."

"Several years at the very least," B'Elanna said.

"And Tom? What sort of company is his friend involved in?"

"The development of specialty shuttles, you know, modified for
specific environmental conditions."

"Would Tom be involved in the design aspect?"

"No, as a test pilot," B'Elanna said. "Though knowing Tom, I'm sure
he'll have plenty of engineering input as well."

"Sounds like an ideal situation for him," Janeway said. She took
another sip of her drink, savoring the slightly tart taste. "I admit I
was a little surprised neither of you decided to stay on in
Starfleet."

"At this stage of our lives, it wouldn't be the right choice for us,
or our family," B'Elanna said quietly. "Neither of us can see taking
another deep space assignment, especially if we couldn't guarantee
being assigned to the same vessel. If Voyager hadn't gotten back, of
course, we'd have no choice but to raise Miral on a starship."

"But since we did get back," Janeway said, nodding, "you want
something more."

"Yes," B'Elanna said. "Something more settled, a place where we can
put down roots and call home."

"It sounds nice," Janeway said. Home, a sense of permanence…when had
she ever known that? "No, I think you made the right decision."

"And what about you?" B'Elanna asked. "How are you doing?"

Janeway picked up the pitcher on the table and poured herself another
glass of tokra juice. "About as well as can be expected."

"How much longer do they expect the court-martial to continue?"

"I'm not sure. Captain Gaines seems to think it will probably be
another few days at least before the closing statements."

"Tom will be testifying tomorrow afternoon," B'Elanna said. "At least,
that's when they told him to come in." She fell silent for a moment.
"I wish I had been of more help when I was on the stand."

Surprised, Janeway said, "You were in Engineering most of the time,
B'Elanna, and as a result you missed several of the crucial events
that occurred with Lessing. But your testimony about Max Burke and his
duplicity—in particular, the details of the sabotage--surely did some
good."

B'Elanna sighed. "I just wish I could have done more. All of us feel
that way, you know—"

"Yes, like Chakotay," Janeway cut in, and then wondered at the
bitterness in her tone. Where had that come from?

"Chakotay did not want to be a witness for the prosecution," B'Elanna
said quietly. "Nor did any of the other Voyager crew who were
subpoenaed."

"I know he didn't exactly have a choice," Janeway said with a
carefully nonchalant shrug. "But as he was the one who witnessed my
'crimes' first-hand, the prosecution would have been stupid not to
call him."

B'Elanna put her glass down with a resounding ring. "Surely you're not
blaming him."

Janeway shook her head impatiently. "No, of course not. That's not why
I'm—"

"Angry?" asked B'Elanna softly. 

"I'm not angry."

B'Elanna didn't question the last statement, but the corner of her
mouth turned down. "I'm a little confused here. What exactly is it
Chakotay did to get you…unsettled like this?"

"Nothing," Janeway said, then amended it to, "Nothing intentional."

B'Elanna waited while Janeway jumped to her feet and strode over to
the window, stared unseeingly at the garden in the muted light of the
setting sun.

"Have you seen Chakotay, other than in the courtroom?" B'Elanna said
finally.

"Yes, we met for coffee the other day, as a matter of fact." Janeway
said, still not turning.

"And?"

"He told me how sorry he was, that things had come to this." Janeway
grimaced. "Of course, if I had listened to him at the time, none of
this would have happened."

"Did he actually say that to you?"

Janeway laughed mirthlessly. "No, he wasn't pointing any fingers. He
just wanted to say he was sorry and he wished there was something he
could do."

"In other words," B'Elanna said, coming to stand beside her. "He
offered you sympathy and help. Definitely a hanging offense."

"You don't understand," Janeway shot back.

"Clearly, I don't," B'Elanna said, giving her former captain a
penetrating stare, "so why don't you explain it to me?"

Frustrated, Janeway cast about for the proper way of putting it. "His
timing is suspect," she said at last. "All this time he never--now,
when everything has come to a head, he decides I need someone to hold
my hand. Which I *don't*. I'm quite capable of managing on my own,
thank you." Almost to herself she added, "God knows, I've been doing
it for ages."

B'Elanna was quiet for a moment. "Whatever has gone down between the
two of you in the past is just that, in the past—" She took a deep
breath. "But he wants to there for you now." B'Elanna put a hand on
Janeway's shoulder. "That has to count for something."

Janeway jerked away, almost as if she had been burned. "Yes," she said
through clenched teeth. "But it's only because he thinks I'm incapable
of standing on my own." She exhaled sharply, willing herself to relax.
"Chakotay has always had a tremendous need to be needed."

"All things considered, that's not such a bad way to be," B'Elanna
said quietly.

End part 8

--
Forwarded to ASCL by:
Stephen Ratliff
ASC Stories Only Forwarding

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