Enemy of My Enemy -
Wi-na-de-ya-ho
(A New Day)

by  Sheena (Micca)

Disclaimer: Star Trek Voyager and its characters are the property of Paramount. This story does not mean to infringe upon the trademarks or copyrights of Paramount.

EOME is a series of Voyager stories which are based on the premise that the Maquis ship was not destroyed in "Caretaker." Given that there is no name in canon for the Maquis ship, this series calls it "Fides," which is Latin for "Faith."

The order of the EOME series:
Confederation
Follow the Leader
Casualty and Confession
Food for Thought
Change of Command
Cracks in Time's Mirror
Fides Violare
Fletcher Christian Was in Starfleet
Far From My Home
Judas Kiss Part One
Judas Kiss Part Two
Wi-na-de-ya-ho (A New Day)

Please do not distribute without Sheena's permission. Thanks.

Sheena's notes:  The chant Wi-na-de-ya-ho is Cherokee, arranged by Rita Coolidge and Robbie Robertson for the album Robbie Robertson and the Red Road Assembly. If you would like to hear a .wav file of the chant there is one at: http://theband.hiof.no/albums/music_for_the_native_americans.html   called Cherokee Morning Song. Potlatch is a Native North American festival. I've based mine on the Salish, Haida and Nishka traditions.  No disrespect is intended.  Thanks to Jen, Kath and Vicki for their editing skills and fabulous encouragement.

*****

Kathryn Janeway hunched over the computer console in her ready room, the look on her face distracted and concerned. She had been pouring over personnel files from the Starfleet database. One personnel file from the database had held her attention for well over an hour. Chakotay's file.

Rubbing her eyes she looked up from the computer.

"An enigma," she whispered under her breath.

"Oh Chakotay," she said, pushing away from the desk and walking toward the viewport. Fides could be seen on of the port side of Voyager but it had been very quiet. More correctly, he had been too quiet. In her life she had dealt with loss of friends and crewmates but this had hit Chakotay very hard and though things seemed better on the surface between the two crews Janeway still worried. Somewhere in the part of her mind that held hope and emotion and illogic in equal status to science she tried to find a way to help these crews merge. She had to find a way to help Chakotay find his hope again.

Suddenly a conversation that she had had with him months before came to her. Spirit Quest. He spoke the words to the chant with such reverence; it must be an avenue of investigation. They had never had the opportunity to speak of their shared quest but she had thought of it many times. Perhaps now was the time to raise that issue to help him find some peace. Walking back to the desk she smiled and pulled up a file on Native North American rituals. It would be best to be armed when she went to confront her fellow captain.

*****

As was her custom, Janeway toured her ship. Since Fides and Voyager had renewed their alliance she listened as she toured. No small task this, especially for a captain. One tended to be very visible and the intention was not to spy, it was to read the tone. The tone that she was reading made her nervous and if there was anything Janeway hated it was being nervous.

In general, her crew seemed glad to have Fides off their bow once more. Was there still resentment of the other crew as Maquis? Yes, of course, and that would go on for a long time, but knowing that they had similar goals helped to bridge the gap. And knowing that they too were disgusted by and hateful of Seska bound Fleet to Maquis. Disdain for Cardassians, though not ideal fodder for bonding, was helpful. But what made her nervous was a set of double standards that seemed to be forming.

Or had they been there all along and she had been blissfully ignorant of their existence?

Her crew - her top notch, highly trained, but very young crew - was arrogant. She could hear it in the tones of their voices, see it in the way they stood when dealing with the Maquis and how they gathered to eat in the mess. She even spotted it in herself when dealing with Voyager's and Fides's problems. When she picked up her messages from her terminal after being off duty or away from the bridge she always opened and examined the messages of Starfleet origin before she looked at anything concerning Fides. Even the ones from Chakotay got shuffled to the bottom of the list.

This was an unacceptable situation. If they had both been Starfleet vessels there would be no such division. How and why had she missed this? Did she honestly believe that because of their backgrounds the Maquis were inferior to herself and her crew? Did they deserve less of the food, supplies and rights that she enjoyed? At what point had she become more than just a cop bringing the suspects into custody? She and her crew had no right to judge the Maquis. They had one objective now and only one: they had to get home. The reasons they were here were unimportant and the actions of the Maquis in this quadrant were more than enough to make her forget that she had been sent to arrest them. New world, new reality, she told herself.

Later in her shift Janeway found herself searching for B'Elanna Torres. When she contacted Fides she was greeted with confusion. The young man who had been at the communications console had been unsure how to respond when she had asked to come aboard. He was apparently in charge on the bridge but had no idea as to the necessary protocol. Janeway had simply informed him that she needed to talk to Torres and would he be so kind as to beam her over to the Maquis ship? His answer was a rather confused "Yes Ma'am."

Torres, for her part, was less confused but equally surprised to see Voyager's captain materialize in front of her as she worked on realigning a particularly annoying relay. In fact, she could use some help. Gerron, who was working with her, was a nice kid but was virtually useless. Yesterday he had cut himself while assisting her and today he looked like he might break something. Whether it was the ship or himself Torres was hard pressed to say.

Gerron turned quickly when Janeway appeared, dropping the hyper spanner he had been handing Torres.

"OK that's it! Get out Gerron!"

Gerron, not unfamiliar with Torres' bad temper, did not leave but he backed away from where she was working.

Janeway stooped to pick up the spanner and examined what Torres was doing. Skillfully she joined in and soon the problem was solved. As they finished Torres grinned at Gerron and called him over.

"Sorry kid," she said, handing him the tools to be put away. He grinned back and rolled up his sleeves to clean up the mess that the repair had made.

Janeway spotted the white four centimeter strip of cloth on Gerron's arm and wondered. As he worked and she and Torres discussed the question she had dealing with shield fluctuations, she stole a look towards the young man. He was favoring his right arm. As they finished she walked to Gerron's side and waited for him to look up.

"What's the meaning of this?" she asked, slightly brisker than she had intended, pointing at his arm.

The young Bajoran looked from Janeway to Torres, a plea for help in his eyes. Torres left him to his own resources.

"I cut myself yesterday. It was an accident." Terrified that Janeway would do something, having no idea what, Gerron clamed up.

"You didn't think to heal it? Don't you have a first aid kit in engineering? I believe we have been through this before haven't we?" Janeway was puzzled and slightly annoyed.

"Well yes ma'am, but it is a waste of resources to use a regenerator on such a simple injury. I save the kit for a bigger deal..." His voice trailed off.

Even this, she thought. One of her crew would not have hesitated to go to sickbay and have the injury examined and healed. This could go on no longer.

*****

"Gentlemen," Janeway said as her senior staff filtered into the conference room. "We have a problem." Hands on hips, voice deadly serious, Janeway surveyed her department heads. "Our problem is our relationship with the Maquis. We have become a two class society." She paused for effect. Tuvok's face remained unaffected, the rest, Paris, Carey, the Doctor on screen, Neelix, Kes and Harry, just looked confused.

"This ship is biased. We have two sets of rules and attitudes: one for Starfleet and one for Maquis. It has to stop if we are going to make this alliance work. We have to be equals. I want Chakotay and his crew to feel that they have open access to Voyager."

"Of course, we will have security just as we have with our own crew," she added quickly, seeing Tuvok was about to comment.

"We must share everything: food, supplies, manpower, and information. The Maquis can learn a great deal from us and they benefit from our superior technology. But be clear, very clear: the Maquis have knowledge and skills that we do not possess. They have abilities that we do not. Their ability to survive and adapt is immense. You have seen what Torres has done with a forty-year-old ship and no spare parts. You have seen their ability to use and reuse materials. What we would toss away they could find a use for. We need to learn this. We are soft. Their ship is smaller but their abilities and their contribution to this team are invaluable. Talk to your people. I don't expect this to change overnight but it will change. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Tom Paris said with a wide grin.

The meeting ended.

*****

"Janeway to Chakotay."

The sound echoed through Chakotay's quarters and his ears. He ignored it. He was off duty and he didn't want to talk to anyone; he would just pretend that he hadn't heard. His eyes closed again. He waited. He knew she would try again.

"Captain Janeway to Commander Chakotay." Her voice had a slight edge to it this time. Sighing he sat up.

'This had better be important,' he thought.

He walked towards the door and hit his comm badge

"Yes Captain?" His voice was cool and tired.

There was a long pause on the other end before she answered.

"Chakotay, I would like to speak to you. Could you please come over and see me?"

"Is it important, Captain? I am off duty," came his reply. Janeway was surprised; he had always been very respectful of her requests.

"Yes I think it is," was her answer.

*****

An hour later Chakotay stood outside of Janeway's quarters, more confused then he had been when she asked him to come over. Why did she want to see him in her quarters? He had never been there before and wondered what it was she would possible want to discuss there. He hoped that she would not try on a counselor's hat and try to cure him of his current state of mind. It had been his experience that scientist and counselor were rarely a good combination.

She smiled slightly in remembrance of their laughter and the warmth of joined hands. It had been quite a while since anyone had initiated a touch with her. The self-imposed removal that came with command was something she was aware of and concerned about. But it was different with Chakotay, they were peers.

The door chime rang and she called for it to open.

"Commander," she said as he walked into the room. A quickly controlled look of envy passed across his face as he appraised her spacious and comfortable quarters. Her quarters would house half of his crew on Fides.

"Please sit down, Commander." She motioned towards a chair. This felt ridiculously formal.

Here they both sat stiff and unbending as ever. Both uncomfortable, her hope that being in a less formal setting would help them communicate evaporated. This wasn't going to work. She sat down with a sigh. Chakotay looked over at her as she slumped rather unladylike into her chair.

He smiled slightly; there was a non Janeway-like expression on her face.

"You look a bit deflated," he said.

"Deflated? Do you have any idea how hard you are to talk to when you are busy being stoic?"

She said the words and regretted them at the same moment. His reply surprised her, he was smiling.

"I was afraid you were going to try on a counseling hat and an analyze my childhood for me."

She grinned back at him.

"I thought about it. But I never really look good in the uniform."

They sat quietly, not compatible but without the rigidity that had marked the beginning of this meeting. Chakotay stretched out his body in the chair, hung back his head and rubbed his eyes.

"I guess I have been better company. But I had a feeling this isn't just a social call?" He was still smiling but the tone had changed again.

"Chakotay, I am worried about you and about our crews. I think we have to do something to bridge the gaps between them. It feels like we have to go back to the beginning again and start over. Unless there is some symbolic gesture that can mend the fences heal the wounds." She stood up and walked to his chair. Bending down she touched his hand.

"Chakotay, you need to heal. You need to let Kurt go and leave some of the anger you are feeling behind."

Chakotay looked at her confused, hurt, and surprised. Very surprised. He closed his eyes.

"Is it that obvious? I am so easy to read, Captain? He was my friend, my best friend and she..."

He stopped, the words choking him. His jaw clenched. If she hadn't been holding his hand it would have been balled into a fist to match the other one. Opening his eyes to meet hers he continued,

"She astonished me, no, astonished doesn't encompass it. I knew in the pit of my stomach that Seska was dangerous. I knew she was capable of things that would have stopped me from sleeping for a month. Her ability to manipulate everyone around her was legendary. But how could I have missed all of this? She is a Cardassian for gods' sakes!"

Janeway took his other hand and gently unballed the tense fist.

"She fooled everyone, Chakotay. Everyone. She attended the Academy. This was no short term attempt…."

"You don't understand! She shared my bed …we were lovers for quite a long time and I never saw it. But that isn't the hardest part; the Obsidian order does very nice work. That isn't what sickens me. I never thought that she was capable of this, not to one of our own."

Silence once again overtook them. Janeway folded her legs under her and released his hands. His hands laced together at the fingers, elbows on knees, back rounded, he stared intently at the floor as if looking for an answer to a question.

It was now or never, Janeway thought.

"Do you remember when you told me about Spirit Quest?" His head snapped up to stare at her and she rushed onwards. "I was intrigued when you guided me through it and wanted to know more so I did a little research and I think I have an idea of what might be helpful for the crew." She looked to his eyes to see if he was angry at this intrusion into his life, his scared life. "I read about some thing called Potlatch."

Chakotay's first impulse was to stand up and walk out of the room. One more intrusion from a stranger. But the memory of the Spirit Quest and her enthusiasm during his explanation made him pause. He could hear her out. He could answer her questions. He could find some patience.

"Potlatch is very old. It was almost lost when it was banned by governments just like Ghost Dance. It was thought to be pagan, evil. It was misunderstood. I don't have much experience with it. I have only ever attended one and it was more like a hybrid of ceremonies, not an accurate historical event."

"Does it have to be? Can it help heal even if it isn't authentic? My understanding was it was used to build bridges between communities, families, nations. It welcomed babies to the world, cemented marriages, and celebrated the lives of loved ones who had passed away."

Chakotay stood up and walked to the viewport. With his back to her he pondered her words. Kurt deserved something, some sort of moment when they came to together and remembered his life, his humour, and his spirit.

He turned and walked towards the door. Janeway stood up expecting him to dress her down for intruding on his private life.

"I'll make the arrangements but we will have to find a planet. This cannot be done in space."

"Not a problem. Anything else, Commander?" she asked standing up brushing off her uniform.

"You are the guests and we are the hosts. Traditionally we will be giving you a gift of some great importance and you must respond. But it isn't a gift of monetary value, it is one of personal value. A gift that when received is to be cherished and when given will change the relationship between the parties."

Chakotay stood in the frame of her door. His face was sober but somehow he seemed lighter as if just the planning of a healing would help him.

"Thank you," he said and slipped out of the room.

Janeway watched the door close and sighed.

"I hope this is a success, the crew needs one. We need one," she corrected herself.

*****

"Paris," Torres said, her tone civil but only just as she passed him in the corridor on her way to engineering.

Voyager needed her skills once again. The work that wasn't urgent on Fides would have to wait. On some level she knew that Voyager's systems were more sensitive and having systems out of balance was more dangerous on Voyager than it would be on Fides. Hell, Fides had run with damn near holes in her hull from lack of patching materials! But Voyager was a wonderful and delicate creature.

Torres was glad to be back on Voyager; she was astonished by her lines and speed, thrilled by her complexity. But that didn't mean that she wanted Fides to go back to being the poor cousin in this family. It wasn't overt, but before Kurt's death, Fides was definitely second. Voyager always seemed to get the lion's share.

At first, Torres had blamed the Captain but then she realized that it was just a Fleet mentality. Fleet first, Maquis second; they were rebels after all, protected by Voyager only because Voyager needed them, slightly. And B'Elanna knew this was true. Voyager could make it without Fides, granted not as well, but they could survive. Fides, however, was at the mercy of every passing Kazon ship, every bit of the unknown.

B'Elanna Torres hated that feeling of helplessness. So if Fides had to be second class to Voyager so be it, she tried to convince herself. It didn't make it better but it did make sense.

"The Captain wanted me to tell you that as soon as you are through here you are to take a whole detail to Fides and give her a spit shine and polish. Anything new or rebuilt that you need to bring Fides up to your desires are on Captain Janeway's tab."

Paris was thrilled to deliver this news to Torres. He had seen the envy in her eyes when she was aboard Voyager.

"Really?" The grin on Torres' face was positively giddy. If she hadn't been half Klingon, Paris thought she might do a little jig. They reached engineering.

"Torres," Paris said before she keyed open the door. He reached out very tentatively, afraid of her reaction but unable to help himself. Still thrilled with his news she turned to see what he needed and why he was touching her.

There was a brief awkward instant and his hand dropped away. Then Tom Paris did something that surprised the hell out of Torres. He blushed. Lost for words she found herself smiling in disbelief. She would never have expected such an honest, uncontrived reaction from him of all people.

"I am really happy Fides is back." There was a long pause. "We...uh," he corrected himself, "I missed you a lot." He turned slowly to move down the corridor.

Torres had no idea what to do or how to react. Finally, from her confusion she managed to find words.

"It is good to be missed."

Turning back to her Paris grinned foolishly. She escaped into engineering before he had the chance to wreck such a nice moment.

*****

Chakotay stared at the datapad. It was perfect. How ironic the last time he buried Kurt it had rained.

"Potlatch," he whispered to himself as he paced the room. What was to be gained? How could this solve the problems that they had now? The problem that he had now.

He folded his legs under himself and dropped to the floor. He knew that it was time to walk the path with his ancestors, to look to the wisdom of his forefathers for the answers to his prayers.

"Wi-na-de-ya-ho
Wi-na-de-ya-ho
Wi-na-de-ya
Wi-na-de-ya
Ho-ho-ho-ho
He-ya-ho
He-ya-ho
Ya-ya-ya."

Chakotay sang the chant under his breath. Over and over again. Thankful for witnessing a new day. He began to plan the Potlatch.

*****

The planet which Janeway and Chakotay found to hold the ceremony on was lovely, warm but not hot, lush but not jungle. Safe and sound, Kurt would return to the earth here.

Chakotay, with the help of Kes and Neelix, had chosen a site and started the preparations for the Potlatch. The planet had provided much of the food they required. This place seemed miraculous to Chakotay. It provided so much: fish very similar to salmon, shell fish, a corn-like grain, fruit like apples, pumpkins or something similar. But most astonishing was the sage and sweet grass. He had been around these herbs his whole life and aside from the colours these were perfect. Even if he replicated them, they could not have been closer. Plucking a stock of the sage, he rolled it between his fingers and inhaled the scent. Closing his eyes he was flooded with a memory of a time far away and a place from another lifetime. His childhood home returned to him along with the smell of his mother's kitchen.

"Thank you, Creator."

Under his breath he whispered the words of the chant that had been haunting him the last few days.

"Wi-na-de-ya-ho Wi-na-de-ya-ho."

*****

Chakotay stood alone at Kurt's graveside, his back to the path that led to the hilltop. This time, the last time, he was determined to put Kurt in the ground and help him stay there. The totem that Janeway had saved for him rested at his feet. He had said all the words and had done all the things. He had said goodbye. As he lifted the totem to place it on the grave he felt a sudden panic, remembering. It was gone.

"Damn it!" he said out loud. "The locket."

"It's not gone," said a voice from behind him.

Chakotay was so startled that he almost dropped the totem. Ensign Susan Lavoie stood on the path.

"I was waiting for you to leave then I was going to bury it beside him." She held Kurt's Grandmother's locket in her hand.

Though she said she was going to return it, the way she held it was as if she was holding on for dear life. Her hands trembled and her eyes were red. The pale of her skin told Chakotay that her time with Kurt was no mere passing fancy. This woman, this very young woman, was in mourning and she had no one with whom to mourn.

Chakotay placed the totem on the grave and walked to her side. They stood, two almost strangers, over the grave of the man they had both loved. Chakotay took her hand for a moment then released it. He took the locket from her fingers and placed it around her neck.

"It suits you," he said quietly. "I thought I wanted to do this alone this time," he added looking over at the grave. Then he looked towards her, her hair falling over her face, tears silent on her cheeks, and both hands clutching the locket. "But I am so glad that you are here."

And so they stood, each lost in their own thoughts about this man. This man who was now at peace.

*****

"Potlatch is a part of my culture, a culture that I almost lost. It is about life and death. We have Potlatch for many reasons. To celebrate, and share the joy of marriage, birth and renewal. And sometimes we have potlatch to mourn the past and celebrate the coming of a new day. This Potlatch is about death. About Kurt."

Chakotay stood among his silent crew and the crew of Voyager.

"We are here for Kurt but we are not here to mourn him. Today I buried him…again."

This time he knew who had put him there and why. He grieved but at least he knew why and that made the pain less debilitating.

"Our Kurt is like his brother Raven. He is the trickster. He hides in the dark and plays tricks on his friends. He leaves us but he is still among us. He watches us and cares for us. He gives us strength and he makes us see the way. This Potlatch is for Kurt Bendera. He was one of us and now he is part of us."

Chakotay smiled and the Fides crew members walked to the Voyager crew, each one holding out their hands to lead them to the circle.

On a small hilltop flattened by wind, rain and time, Chakotay had cut and stripped a tree. He placed it at the center of a ring of a dozen fires. White rocks that he had found near the water ringed each fire; all were smooth and aged and round. Each fire, as yet unlit, was stacked high with firewood and he had soaked each with accelerator so the fires would burn brightly and clean. Around the pole he had gathered all the blankets that he could find aboard Fides and begged the rest from Voyager, creating a circle within a circle within a circle.

He led Janeway to the north side of the circle and offered her a place to sit. Graciously she accepted. He lit a small torch and tossed it upon the fire behind him. Around the circle on perfect cue the other fires jumped to life.

Neelix and Kes handed each Maquis a large tray of food and they took it back to the blankets where they had lead the other crew members.

"Health and healing," Chakotay sang out and his words were echoed around the circle as the food was given to the guests.

Janeway, uncertain how to proceed, looked to him for guidance. Receiving none, they all stood for a long moment. One hundred and forty-five Voyager crew were seated before their Maquis allies awkwardly, uncomfortably, looking over the food being offered. Waiting.

"Please," Janeway said, a slightly pleading in her voice.

"Thank you," Chakotay answered and sat beside her.

A sigh of relief rippled around the circle with such simple words.

The food was amazing! It had been prepared in a manner that had both thrilled and repulsed Neelix. The fish and shellfish had been wrapped in seaweed and buried in the embers of a fire to steam. The pumpkin-like vegetable had been peeled and cubed and roasted. The corn and apples were baked in the husks of the corn. Chakotay had taught Neelix to make flat bread that he cooked around a cooking fire, baking it on the white-hot stones that had come from the river. Only a few of the items for the feast were replicated or taken from Fides’ stores. Chakotay had had his crew working for hours to prepare the food and the site.

As the sun set, the crews sat and ate. Cheerful laughter could be heard drifting among the voices. Janeway smiled up at Chakotay. He had been very quiet.

"I think this is going very well," she said trying to make him smile or at least look at her.

The corn she was eating dripped down her chin. Embarrassed, she tried to wipe it away. His hand touched her face and wiped it away for her. He cleaned his hand on his trousers. They both were shocked at the familiarity of the action. Then they smiled.

"You may be right."

*****

As the food was finished the trays were put away. Chakotay climbed to his feet and offered his hand to assist Janeway. Standing together before their crews Chakotay took a deep breath. He had explained in detail what Potlatch was about to his crew and he knew that Janeway had done the same with hers. But he was still worried this was foreign to them. In fact, though he hated to admit the fact, it was foreign to him.

"The purpose of this Potlatch is to remember Kurt, but that is only the surface meaning. Everything in life has many levels. Like the skin of an onion with every layer you peel away more layers are revealed below. We lost Kurt but we have not lost one another. Our gift, Fides to Voyager, is allegiance. I pledge the Maquis loyalty and support from this day forward to Voyager."

There was silence around him. Was it shock? Or disapproval? He didn't care; this was the gift.

"I pledge Fides to Voyager indivisible. One unit, not two warring factions. We are stronger together than we are apart." His voice was cold but his eyes were like the fires burning around him.

"Enough!" he said. "There has been enough death and pain and betrayal. I will not tolerate it one more instant! It is not us against them. It is us. If we are going to survive in the Delta Quadrant we had better get used to it. Without Voyager, Fides is dead, and without Fides, Voyager is weak. Weakness in the Delta Quadrant means death."

He stared right at Janeway as he finished.

"This is what Potlatch is about. Not the giving of trinkets and beads. It is about commitment and healing. This is not going to be easy. It may well get worse before it gets better. We lost one of our own because of secrets and greed and duplicity and division. No more!"

Janeway was amazed as she saw his rage bubble to his calm surface. All of this was within him and he held it so well, so calm, so professional.

Janeway rose to her feet.

"Commander," she said, joining him in the centre of the circle. "My understanding is that now the guests give gifts to the host."

She brought a basket filled with bread, corn, grain and fruit and handed it to Chakotay. His face was black with emotion.

"These are symbols. We pledge that all we have is yours. No leftovers for the Maquis. Maquis needs and Starfleet needs are the same. Voyager and her crew do not take precedence over Fides. Equal. All food, all power, all needs."

Chakotay looked at her. His expression was unreadable but he took the basket and held it in his left hand. He slowly put his hand forward and shook hers.

"We are agreed," was his answer.

Gerron, as Chakotay had taught him, began to beat on a small drum that Chakotay had among his positions. The firelight and the beat, slow and melodic, lent a mystical feel to the moment.

"Central pole, circle of fires, and drum beat links us to the flow of life and to our own heartbeat and to the motion of the universe. Now we are linked one to the next. We must give thanks for the coming of a new day. These words are Cherokee. I do not know their direct translation. The words have been lost in the mists of time but they are a chant of thanks for the dawning of another day. This is our new day."

Chakotay began to chant.

"Wi-na-de-ya-ho
Wi-na-de-ya-ho
Wi-na-de-ya
Wi-na-de-ya
ho-ho-ho-ho
He-ya-ho
he-ya-ho
Ya-ya-ya."

Chakotay's deep base voice floated over the circle. Soon it was joined by a second, this one a tenor. Janeway saw Tom Paris move to his feet. B'Elanna Torres, her alto mixing with Tom's tenor, followed him. Carey added his lilting Irish voice and soon both crews were on their feet. The chant sounded three more times and she joined them as it increased in volume. She looked at Chakotay. For the first time in a long while he looked peaceful.

*****

They sat in the darkness caught up in the quiet sounds of the night. Chakotay had let all the fires burn down but one as the crews had returned to their respective ships. The two of them remained, their backs to the central post, the hub of the circle, supporting their weight. Their shoulders were touching and their legs were stretched out in front of them, his longer, hers shorter, his in civvies, hers in uniform. Both were too physically and emotionally tired to get up just yet and move towards their ships, their homes.

The fire crackled and hissed. The voices of retreating crew members faded away. The sounds of the night flooded them. Moth wings in the firelight, night birds awakening, in the distance, what might have been the cry of this world's coyotes or wolves. Chakotay took a deep breath trying to draw in all the sounds and smells of this world, the world where Kurt would have his peace.

Chakotay watched her as they sat, hips ever so slightly touching, shoulders leaning together for support, relaxed. It had been an amazing day and he was tired, bone tired. Kurt's funeral, again, had been painful but this time there was something more final about it. Not easier, not kinder, but final. Right now he felt lonely and sad. Some of the guilt that he had been burdened with left him. Not all but some small amount. They had been best friends but now Kurt was gone and Chakotay felt empty. He wondered if that was why he was sitting here with Janeway. Were they both trying to avoid being alone or was there something more? He knew there was for him but he was unsure about her feelings.

He wondered if what he was about to do was a mistake and if so, how big of one? He was drawn to her. She was all the things he found most exciting in a woman: proud, beautiful, determined, and strong. There was something more, some indescribable and unavoidable attraction between them. He had puzzled it through many times since they had first met but he couldn't place it. Then they had shared the vision quest, even then he had tried to ignore it and then deny it. He knew that they had been together on the spiritual journey. They had roads to walk.

When Fides had left Voyager he had covered his knowledge with rage and with Seska. Now there was a good reason to stop cold. Seska was like a hard slap across his face. Just the thought of her could send Chakotay's resolve to find some inner peace spinning.

At that moment Janeway shifted her weight, slightly leaning against him, and a tired sigh escaped her lips. He knew what he was feeling was not about Seska. It was about something deeper, something he wanted to explore. Some place to find some peace and release from the loneliness that he had felt even when Kurt was alive.

"Peace," he said softy, not realizing he had said it aloud.

"Pardon?" she asked, caught by the tone in his voice.

Turning his long frame to face her he folded his legs in front of himself. She rolled her head to meet his gaze. His knees rested gently along her legs, just touching them. Maybe touching would help him heal, she told herself, ignoring how welcome it made her feel.

"This gave me some peace," he replied, touching the fine soil around them and rubbing it between his fingers, enjoying the touch of it. "Thank you," he added, trying not to look at her. His voice was sheepish. The look on her face, the touch of their bodies moved him on, in spite his uncertainty.

She reached out and touched the fingers stained by soil. It felt like corn silk trapped between their fingertips.

"Any time Commander," she said lightly.

They sat in the gentle glow of the fire holding hands again. Perhaps things could return to what they had been or even better, she thought, as she glanced at their woven fingers.

With his other hand Chakotay reached inside his shirt and took out what Janeway thought was his medicine bundle. He firmly put it into her other hand and closed her fingers around it.

"No, Chakotay, you can't," she pleaded.

"A truly rich man can afford to give away much and on this night I am a very, very wealthy man." His words were thick, intimate. "But don't worry, it is not mine, it is yours. I started it for you."

Janeway opened the bag; it contained a signal item. Putting it into her hand she held it towards the fire. It was a tiny wooden totem similar to the one resting on Kurt's grave. On one side was a carving of Voyager on the other side Fides. She closed her hand around it. She hadn't expected this. Thankful for the darkness she clutched it to her chest.

"The leader of the hosts usually gives a personal gift to the leader of the guests," he said, his knees touching the ground as he leaned towards her slightly. The back of his hands touched her cheek stopping just shy of her lips. She smiled slightly moving to copy his sitting position.

Chakotay watched his hands on her face.

"But I have nothing to give you."

"You already have. Remember our vision quest?" She nodded "That was the only time I have had a shared experience. It is a very significant thing, Kathryn." His thumb traced the length of her lower lip. "It means that we have some things to explore." He leaned closer to her, blue eyes locked with brown. Both were holding their breaths and not realizing it. His lips touched her lips in a gentle, trembling moment. Simultaneously they both started breathing again.

Chuckling, they pulled apart. Standing, he reached out his hand and pulled her to her feet.

"May I walk you home, Captain?" he asked formally.

"Only if you call me Kathryn when we are alone."

Go to the twelfth EOME story A Matter of a Moment

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