Enemy of My Enemy -
Fletcher Christian Was in Starfleet

by Kath Tate

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

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

Many many thanks to Vicki, who had the idea in the first place! =)

*****

Captain Janeway marched down the corridor at command speed coming around the corner to run abruptly into something solid. It was Commander Chakotay, who had been walking in the opposite direction, at a much more leisurely pace, but half-turned as though watching behind him. She felt like she'd just hit a tree.

Chakotay reached out strong arms to steady Janeway when she would have fallen.

"My apologies, Captain," he murmured.

"You should try looking in the same direction as you're going," she suggested, startled.

"You should try slowing to impulse when navigating the corners," he threw back at her, with a twinkle in his eye. She had to smile at him.

"Fair enough, Commander." Janeway hesitated. "Are you going someplace in particular?"

"No, I was actually headed back to the transporter room to ..."

"Walk with me, then," she ordered, continuing on her path.

"O-kay," Chakotay agreed, turning slowly to see that she was already ten meters ahead of him. "But only if you slow down."

"Can't you keep up?" she teased, waiting for him.

He shrugged.

"What's the rush?"

They walked in silence for a few moments, their different strides finally finding rhythm together. Chakotay was about to break down and ask her why she wanted him along when she spoke up again.

"I like to do this occasionally. Take a tour of the ship, just to touch base with all that's going on. Not an inspection, per se, just a friendly look around."

"That's a good idea," he agreed. She glanced sideways at him.

"How in touch with your ship are you, Commander?"

Chakotay smiled with amusement, trying to hide his expression behind a hand that rubbed his mouth.

"I don't have as many decks to tour. Maybe that's why I don't walk as fast as you do."

They entered an empty turbolift and Janeway barked a command. Chakotay stood at ease, with hands together behind his back. She was jumpy about something; he could sense it. For her part, she was losing patience with his relaxed manner.

"I've always had the feeling that you are very close with your crew," she said. "Much more so than I am. Of course, our circumstances are different."

"Of course," murmured Chakotay, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Even after all this time, Janeway still had her ideas about the Maquis that weren't based entirely in reality.

"Now that we're allies, if you felt there was something going on that I should know about, you would feel free to come and talk to me ... wouldn't you?" she asked, hesitantly.

Chakotay frowned, not understanding her question.

"I think I've already demonstrated my openness in our relationship, Captain," he said slowly.

"Then there's nothing you want to tell me?" she asked, turning to face him.

"Is there something you want to hear?" Chakotay met her gaze frankly.

"Computer, halt lift," commanded Janeway. She looked down at her boots, then back up to his face. He looked perplexed so she had to believe he really didn't know. "I have reason to believe that some of your crew are ... planning ... something."

Chakotay didn't know whether to be amused or angry. He let his sense of humour win the battle.

"Could you be a bit more specific?"

"You haven't heard anything?" asked Janeway.

"Captain, I assure you, if the Maquis had any 'plans' I would have heard," he said. She couldn't help but feel he was humouring her.

"Computer, resume. I'm concerned about this, Commander," she told him, facing front again. "I have reason to believe that a group from your ship have ... recruited, for lack of a better word, some people from Voyager and they are planning an offensive."

The lift doors opened and Janeway charged out, only remembering to slow her pace after Chakotay sped after her. He stopped her with a tug on her arm.

"What makes you think it is an offensive?"

Janeway sighed.

"My first officer when we left Deep Space Nine, Cavit his name was, had a talent for keeping his ear to the ground. People talked with him; they felt comfortable around him. He was extraordinarily talented at communicating with the crew. He was killed when we were pulled into the Delta Quadrant." Janeway seemed lost in thought. Chakotay waited patiently for her to continue. "Tuvok is an excellent security officer. He's, well, I guess I don't need to tell you about his talents."

Chakotay shifted uncomfortably on his feet, looking away.

"No," he agreed shortly.

"But Tuvok isn't someone that the crew feel comfortable enough around to seek him out, or to talk openly with. Without Cavit as a pipeline, I'm finding myself somewhat cut-off from the ship's gossip. I know all about reports, but that doesn't tell me how they're feeling."

"Hence, the tours around the ship?" Chakotay gestured up and down the corridor. Janeway nodded.

"Of course, people won't talk to me either. A disadvantage to being Captain." She sighed again. "You don't seem to have that problem."

"The Maquis don't have the same rank structure as Starfleet. It makes some things easier," Chakotay admitted. His choice of words implied that there were some things easier about the hierarchy of Starfleet as well.

"So I don't have a clear picture of what's going on. But I do know that it's something that involves members of both the crews. I can't deny that there are still some very bad feelings between our people. And that there may also be those who find the freedom of the Maquis ... appealing. Especially if they don't agree with my judgement."

Chakotay could tell that it was hard for Janeway to admit this to him. As much as she might have harboured self-doubts about her choices in the Delta Quadrant, she'd always presented herself with confidence and assurance. It stung to think that there might be some among her own crew who would plot against her.

They resumed their walk down the corridor, at a much slower pace. Chakotay pondered her words.

"Did you consider the possibility that maybe you're overreacting?" He tried to be diplomatic. She gave him a wry smile.

"You can say it Commander. You think I'm being paranoid."

"I didn't use that word," he swiftly objected, but with a smile. Her face turned somber again.

"Perhaps I am. Or perhaps they are planning something that would take us both out of power."

Chakotay shook his head decisively.

"No. That's not a possibility. I would know."

She looked up at him with a questioning expression.

"I would know," he repeated, firmly.

"I hope you're right, Commander. Because what I've been picking up has me very worried."

*****

Chakotay walked down a corridor in his own ship, heading for engineering. Along the way back to Voyager's transporter room he'd actually seriously considered Janeway's warning. Could it be that some of his crew were plotting a mutiny against him and the alliance with the Starfleet vessel? Chakotay had then shook his head, almost laughing aloud. The idea was ridiculous!

However, as he returned to Fides, he had to admit that there were plenty amongst his crew who were still not happy about the alliance and who chafed under Janeway's leadership. Her presumption of power over Chakotay rankled many of the Maquis, even when it didn't bother him that much. If she had told him she'd heard of Maquis plans to take over her ship, he could well believe them capable of such a plot. The part that had him confused was the involvement of Starfleet officers. He wasn't close to Janeway's crew by any means, most of them still regarded him as an enemy, but he had never had any feeling that they were so unhappy as to plan a mutiny.

Still, she knew them better than he did, and her judgement to date had been pretty sound.

By the time he'd reached engineering, Chakotay could not so easily dismiss her paranoia even if he found the idea of his own crew plotting without his knowledge to be nearly impossible.

"Where's Torres?" he asked Jackson, who shrugged.

"Dunno. Maybe in the galley."

'At this time of day?' wondered Chakotay. He moved over to the intercom panel and paged the galley. It only took him a few seconds to realize that the comm link was open but no one was responding to the page. He was about to open his mouth to call out for someone's attention when Kurt's voice caused him to pause.

"We are going to seriously kick some Starfleet butt. They will rue the day they came across Fides!"

Chakotay's head jerked up with surprise. His heart began to pound as he remembered Janeway's words. But Kurt? Sure, he was a fighting son of bitch, but Kurt? Chakotay leaned over the intercom to see if he could hear any more.

"Are you sure we should be ... " That was Chell. The shuffling of bodies and murmurs from others drowned the rest of his question out.

'Geez, how many of them were in there?' Chakotay wondered.

"You worry too much," was Kurt's response to that. "This is for the good of all of us."

"Tell me again why we're not telling Chakotay?"

Oh God! B'Elanna!

"We have to be seen as acting outside of his influence. He can't have anything to do with this," Kurt explained.

"We are going to wipe the floor with them!" Dalby threw in, with gleeful ferocity.

Chakotay slumped against the wall for some support, glancing back at Jackson who was too preoccupied with the warp engines to notice the peculiar reaction of his leader.

"This will be for the glory of all the Maquis in the Alpha Quadrant," added Larson.

"I love a challenge!" growled Kurt.

Chakotay swung around abruptly and ran from engineering. Jackson looked up, astonished, but returned to work without comment.

Coming upon the door to the galley, Chakotay collided with Ayala, who was exiting. Was it just his imagination, or did Ayala look alarmed to see him there? Chakotay shook his head angrily. Damn Janeway for planting these paranoid thoughts in his mind! He entered the room. It fell silent.

Chakotay could never recall a time when his crew had withheld anything from him. Only Tuvok, a traitor in their midst, had concealed the truth. But the Vulcan had been lying to all of them, not merely Chakotay. Looking around now at the faces of his friends he felt a sinking feeling that was far worse than the betrayal of Tuvok.

It manifested itself in irrational irritation.

"Torres!" he barked. "Why aren't you in engineering?"

Hesitation. B'Elanna bit her lower lip, cursing inwardly that he would choose her, out of all of them, to single out. She glanced nervously at Kurt who raised an eyebrow. A challenge. She drew herself up and reacted to Chakotay's tone with irritation of her own.

"There's no emergency. I got hungry."

'Good girl!' cheered Kurt to himself. 'You tell him!'

But when Chakotay's mistrustful gaze hit Kurt's eyes they lowered to the table, suddenly finding the scuffs and cracks of age to be utterly fascinating.

'You coward, Bendera,' thought Chakotay.

"Get back to work. All of you!" he growled, and noted the speed at which they exited.

Kurt was the last to go, having been seated in the far corner. Chakotay grabbed his arm as he walked past. The two looked at each other for a long moment. There was much said in Chakotay's eyes. You are my friend. You would not betray me. Kurt felt a bit uncomfortable.

"How are things going for you, Bendera?" Chakotay asked, softly. "Any problems I should know about?"

"Nope," was Kurt's short response. He shrugged and tried for a grin, but it came out lopsided. Chakotay let him go.

*****

Chakotay burst into Janeway's ready room with impatience. She leapt to her feet with some alarm at the expression on his face.

"What's happened?"

"You were right," he blurted out. "Something is up."

She slowly sat back down. She'd been hoping that Chakotay was the one who was right and that she had just been paranoid. Now he looked as jumpy as a cat. And very upset.

"I thought ... I thought things were going well," he said. "We haven't had any serious problems between the crews for so long, not since ... I thought..." Chakotay walked the length of the room then swung around to come back again.

He's taking this hard, Janeway realized. Like it's a personal failure. She was more worried about what was being planned.

"I've got Tuvok gently investigating," she began but Chakotay laughed.

"Sorry Captain, but I have a hard time picturing that."

"Well, what do you think we should do then?" she asked, trying not to let his criticism of Tuvok annoy her.

He stopped moving to face her.

"We need to use our eyes and our ears," he told her.

"You don't really think they're going to tell us?" she asked, amazed.

"No, not us. But they are going to be talking about it to each other," he clarified. "We just have to be there to hear it. It is amazing what you can hear if you take the time to listen."

*****

Janeway was sceptical, Chakotay calm, as the two of them wandered the corridors of Voyager once again. They walked at a much slower pace this time, even though Janeway could not understand Chakotay's reasoning. What was the point of lingering in empty hallways?

Chakotay, for all the unsettled feelings he had, was amused by her impatience. They weren't going to get any information by storming the mess hall or holodeck or other places of congregation. And they certainly weren't going to get anywhere if their presence was known.

Suddenly, they heard voices, a quiet murmuring, from around a corner. Chakotay laid a hand on Janeway's arm and put a finger to his lips. They stood silently in the corridor, ears straining, their bodies practically leaning to the corner.

"Well ... I don't know."

"C'mon! What do I have to tell you? You're not going to let them get away with this are you?"

"I've never been very good at..."

"Nonsense! Don't try to tell me you got out of the Academy without a proper education!"

There was the sound of one of them tapping on the computer console on the wall. Then a comm badge beeped and Lieutenant Carey's voice filled the corridor.

"Hey, aren't you finished up there? What's taking so long?"

Chakotay looked down to notice the door to the Jeffries tube access tunnel open by their knees.

"Well, I'm on my way there now," Carey's voice was saying.

Janeway looked up at Chakotay as if to say 'Now what?' To walk forward would give away their position and maybe tip off the conspirators. But to retreat would put them in the path of Carey, who also might reveal them to the pair.

Chakotay pointed at the Jeffries tube.

"You have GOT to be kidding," Janeway mouthed. The Maquis leader shrugged. They heard the sound of the turbo lift door from around the corner behind them.

Janeway crouched to scramble into the tube with Chakotay on her heels. Literally.

"Keep moving!" he hissed.

Unfortunately, Janeway had come to a dead end. The access tunnel was not very long, only enough to bring a person to the large tunnel that crossed the entire deck. Opening the access door ahead of her would alert the engineering crew in the corridor to their presence. She curled up as close to the door as she could, trying to give Chakotay as much space as possible. This tunnel was only meant for one person at a time.

Chakotay squeezed up beside the captain, suddenly feeling all arms and legs as he sought to position himself in such a way as to conceal them from Carey's team, and also be within proper decorum. In the end, he gave up on decorum and wrapped his body around Janeway's, with his arms and legs on top of hers.

Carey shut the access door without even a glance inside.

As soon as the door sealed behind them, Chakotay sagged with relief and immediately realized the inappropriateness of this position. He reached up one hand to key open the door. The relatively wide expanse of Jeffries tube 11 beckoned, running perpendicular to them. He pulled himself off of the captain.

"Sorry about that," he murmured. She glared at him for a second and then laughed. He grinned back at her.

"This is the most ridiculous ... " She shook her head with disbelief.

Turning right they crawled, side by side, in silence for a time.

"Tuvok to Captain Janeway."

"Yes Tuvok?"

"We had a meeting scheduled to discuss the..."

"My apologies Tuvok," she interrupted, "but I'm not going to make it. I'm ... er ... a little busy."

There was a pause and they continued shuffling on their knees.

"Captain, internal sensors have placed you in Jeffries tube 11."

"That's correct Lieutenant," she confirmed. "I'll contact you when I'm available for our meeting. Thank you." It was a dismissal of sorts.

"Do you know who they were?" asked Chakotay, as they reached a junction. Janeway turned to the right again.

"Yes." Nothing more. Chakotay noted her tight expression. It occurred to him that she was as upset by this as he was.

"What now?" he asked.

"I suggest we get out of this tube," she said and he nodded.

It was perhaps unfortunate that the first access panel they came to led into the mess hall. At the time it seemed fortuitous. After all, where else did most of the ship's gossip originate?

The panel door opened into the back of Neelix's kitchen, what was formerly the captain's dining room. Janeway eased it open, looking around cautiously. Although Neelix was obviously cooking, the Talaxian was not in sight.

Janeway twisted around to exit the tube feet first, but she stayed crouched low, waiting for Chakotay to wiggle out as well. They sat on the floor, not saying anything.

"If I know Neelix, he knows what's going on," Janeway whispered finally. Chakotay nodded with agreement. Maybe he didn't know the cook as well as Janeway, but from what he'd seen, Neelix liked to keep his fingers in every pie. Or should that be in every acquitarian stew, which was what was bubbling on the stove.

"That smells awful," commented Janeway with a sigh. She glanced over to Chakotay, who, despite everything, still looked more amused than anything else. Aside from his outburst in her ready room, he'd been remarkably calm through all this. "How are we going to get out of here?" she asked him.

While he was pondering his response, they heard Neelix's voice.

"One minute! One minute! I have to stir the stew. This is a very delicate stage of cooking."

Janeway started to scramble to her feet but Chakotay shot out a hand to hold her down in a crouch position. With his other hand he gestured towards the barrels stacked beside them along the wall. They were Neelix's stores from the hydroponics bay. Chakotay eased himself in behind the barrels, which were high enough to hide him. Janeway hesitated a second and then followed him. She couldn't help but feel that this was an even worse idea than diving into a Jeffries tube.

Through cracks between the barrels they could see Neelix's approach. He was humming tunelessly as he tended his stew. Further down, partially obscured by the stove, a pair of Starfleet boots appeared.

"While your idea has some merit," Neelix told the boots, "I have to question your methods. Something like this shouldn't be done so quietly, it should be out in the open."

Neelix's companion snorted with disbelief.

"Have you tried talking with the captain?" asked Neelix, as he vigorously shook a container of spice over the stew. An equal amount of it went flying through the air. He waved a hand in front of his face to clear the spice cloud he'd just created.

"I know, I know," continued Neelix, not waiting for his companion to reply. "You think it might stir up more trouble if it was more commonly known. Personally," Neelix shook a hand at the conspirator, which resulted in another cloud of spice. "I think you're wrong about that. I think you'd have even more support."

Janeway's attention abruptly shifted to Chakotay, who'd given a little shake. She watched, perplexed at first then with mounting alarm, as his face contorted as though he was in pain. He wrinkled his nose, he shook his head, he blinked his eyes rapidly. She could see them tearing up and suddenly she understood.

The commander was not reacting well to all the spice in the air. Afraid he was going to let loose a series of ground shaking sneezes Janeway reached over quickly to plug his nose. He opened his mouth with a small gasp, to breathe, and looked at her with part surprise and part annoyance. She shrugged.

Neelix's companion left then, so the cook turned his attention back to the stew, carrying it forward to the counter where he could serve it.

Janeway raised an eyebrow at Chakotay and when he nodded she let go of his nose. They both took a deep breath with relief. Janeway pointed towards the door that led from the kitchen into the corridor. If they could stand without being spotted by anyone in the mess hall, they might be able to make a quick exit.

She crawled from behind the barrels until she was crouched down by the stove. Then she stood up, confident that Neelix's apparatus would block her from view. Chakotay began to follow her. He was still on his hands and knees, beside the stove, when the sneezes caught up to him.

"Ah-choo! Ah-choo! Ah-Ah-AH-CHOO!"

Reacting quickly Janeway reached down to grab him by his shirt with two fists and haul him clumsily to his feet. He swayed there, off-balance for a second.

"Commander?" she asked, in an overly loud voice. "Are YOU alright?"

He shook his head, his only response another series of sneezes. He leaned down with his hands on his thighs, trying to catch his breath.

Neelix had appeared next to them, staring at the bent over Maquis leader with some concern.

"Captain Janeway! I didn't see you there. Is he ... what's the matter with him?"

"We were JUST coming IN for LUNCH," Janeway said, still loudly. Neelix took a step back, wondering why she was nearly shouting at him. Perhaps something had happened to her hearing? "I guess, we, ah, we shouldn't have come in the back door. Er, I think the commander is, uh, a bit sensitive to your spice. Is it the acquitarian stew today?"

Neelix nodded enthusiastically, pleased that she recognized it.

"Well, that must be it then," she told him. Chakotay looked up, with tears streaming down his face from bloodshot eyes.

"AH-CHOO!"

"I'd better get him to sickbay," Janeway said quickly, steering Chakotay towards the door. "Just to be sure it isn't serious."

"What about your lunch, Captain?" queried Neelix. "Shall I send you something to your ready room?"

"Please, don't worry about it Mr. Neelix," she called back over her shoulder, giving him a wave. "I'll come back later."

They escaped to the corridor. Chakotay collapsed against the wall, his whole body shaking and his hands clutching at his stomach. Now Janeway was becoming more concerned. Was he in pain? Perhaps the commander was having some kind of serious reaction to the spice? She squatted down next to him, her hand reaching for his forehead when she realized there was nothing wrong with Chakotay. He was laughing. He was laughing so hard he wasn't even making any sound.

Janeway stood, annoyed, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm glad you think this is funny!" she snapped.

Chakotay opened his mouth to speak but sneezed instead and ended up chuckling some more. He wiped the tears off his face with both hands and then rubbed his still watering eyes.

"Oh ... my..." he gasped.

Janeway turned on a heel and marched away from him. Chakotay came to his feet swiftly to follow.

"Wait! Wait!" he called after her. "I'm sorry. But the look on your face ... and ... and Neelix!" He started to laugh again, but swallowed it quickly under her glare. "I'm sorry. You're right. This is a serious business."

*****

Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok had convened in the ready room. Chakotay was still sniffling from his encounter with Neelix's spice, to the point where Janeway had to replicate him some tissues. He sat on the couch, hunched over his knees, rubbing his watery eyes occasionally. Tuvok stood stiffly at the bottom of the stairs. Janeway leaned over the back of a chair, her gaze shifting between the two of them.

They were so different, these men.

Chakotay looked terrible; he really should have gone to sickbay for some antihistamine. But other than the spice effects, he seemed quite content to be sitting comfortably on her couch, as if they were discussing the allocation of recreational facilities, not the possibility of mutiny.

Tuvok was as worried as a Vulcan could be. His natural reaction, from one who'd been her security officer for many years, was to clamp down on everyone.

Watching them both, Janeway could almost believe that Chakotay was orchestrating this entire situation, just to get under Tuvok's skin somehow. She rejected the thought. She'd seen the Maquis leader earlier when he'd first discovered his crew in the plot. He'd been upset, angry ... hurt even. If he seemed amused now, it was only due to their misadventures in espionage.

"Captain, I recommend we confine those crew members we know to be involved."

Chakotay was shaking his head.

"That's not going to accomplish anything," he told Tuvok.

"That is your opinion, Commander," was Tuvok's response.

Chakotay fixed him with as cool a look as he could muster with his tearing eyes.

"Besides, what am I going to charge my crew with?" he asked the first officer. "Congregating in the galley? They do that every day. Sometimes, if they're lucky, more than once."

Tuvok did not respond, choosing instead to give the captain a questioning look. She sighed and stood up straight.

"The commander is right Tuvok. If we go after them now, with so little evidence, we have nothing. And we will lose what little information we do have. They'll wait for another time, one when we won't be expecting it."

"What would be your recommendation then?" asked Tuvok.

"We wait," decided Janeway. She looked to Chakotay who gazed up at her, sniffling. "We wait until we have something more. And we keep our eyes and our ears open," she added, with a nod to the commander.

He smiled grimly and stood.

"In that case, I'd better get back to my ship. Captain. Tuvok." Chakotay inclined his head a bit, and walked from the room. As the door closed, Janeway could hear another sneeze.

*****

Chakotay literally bumped into B'Elanna as she came tearing around the corner with Kurt on her heels.

"Whoa! Take it easy!" Chakotay's patience was nearing its end.

"What happened to you?" asked Torres, peering up at her leader's blotchy face.

"I had a run in with Voyager's cook," was all that Chakotay would say. "Where are you two going in such a hurry?"

"We have some holodeck time booked," explained Kurt, pushing Torres forward impatiently. "Gonna do some ... ah ... rock climbing on the faces of ... uh ... Treymar III. I understand it's a real challenge."

"Where did you get the program?" asked Chakotay, absently. Good holoprograms were as rare as dilithium on Fides.

"I think it might be Joe Carey's," Torres offered quickly. "Or maybe Paris's."

"If we're lucky, we'll find a Bat'leth at the top, eh Bey?" teased Kurt, with a playful punch.

"Only if you want your head removed!" she snapped.

"We gotta run, old man," Kurt said. "We're late as it is."

"Have fun," Chakotay called after them as they broke out into a run again. Something about their mannerisms, something about what they'd said, bothered him. But he couldn't put his finger on what seemed out of place.

He made his way to the bridge. All was quiet. All had been quiet for days. If it hadn't been for this plot Janeway had uncovered this morning, Chakotay could have believed that everything was running smoother than the warp core.

Seska, Jonas, and Larson were manning the stations. Chakotay was greeted with varying degrees of enthusiasm from each, but not with the suspicion he'd felt coming from Kurt and B'Elanna. He idly glanced at the sensors, at the duty shift reports, at the viewscreen, at the duty shift reports...

"Where's Chell?" he asked, suddenly. He was asking Larson, because it was Chell and not Larson who was scheduled to be on the bridge at this time.

Larson shrugged.

"He asked for some personal time. No big deal."

Chakotay's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered this unusual turn of events.

"Personal time? For what?" he asked.

Seska laughed a little.

"If you knew, then it wouldn't be personal, would it?" She went back to reconfiguring the scanners.

"He said he wanted to join Kurt on the holodeck. Some new program they're going to try," Larson offered. "It didn't matter to me, since he offered to take my swing shift."

'Everyone's on the holodeck this evening,' Chakotay thought. He remembered Kurt teasing B'Elanna about the Bat'leth at the top of the faces of Treymar III. A real challenge. Chakotay came to his feet so suddenly his crew looked up with surprise.

"What's the matter, old man?" asked Jonas, amused.

"Hail Voyager," Chakotay said, shortly. "Tell Janeway I'm coming over again."

*****

"But how do you know they're not rock climbing?" Janeway asked.

"Treymar III is a remarkably flat planet, Captain," Chakotay explained. "Which would be the only explanation for Chell going with them, as he suffers from vertigo and would never be able to go rock climbing in the first place!"

"Computer," intoned Tuvok, "is there anyone in holodeck two?"

"Holodeck two is occupied."

"What program is running?" asked Janeway, tilting her head slightly to listen for the response.

"There is no program running," was the response.

"Who is in the holodeck?" asked Chakotay, tensing as he listened.

"There are eighteen crew members in the holodeck. Ensign Ashmore, Maquis crewmember Ayala, Maquis crewmember Bendera, Ensign Bennet, Lieutenant Carey, Maquis crewmember Chell, Lieutenant Durst, Lieutenant Hargrove, Maquis crewmember Henley, Ensign Susanne Lavoie, Ensign McCormick, Maquis crewmember O'Donnell, Lieutenant Paris, Maquis crewmember Suder, Maquis crewmember Torres..."

"That's enough!" Chakotay cut off the computer. Tuvok raised an eyebrow.

"Paris," whispered Janeway with disbelief. Her eyes were wide with shock and dismay.

"Let's get down there and see what they're doing," Chakotay suggested.

"Eyes and ears open?" Janeway asked, bitterly. Chakotay did not respond.

*****

Tuvok had assembled a small team, armed with phaser rifles, outside the doors to the holodeck. Chakotay grimaced.

"Is that necessary?" he asked.

"Please do not presume to be in control of security matters," Tuvok shot back at him.

Still, Chakotay hesitated.

"Computer, scan the holodeck for weapons."

"There are no weapons present in holodeck two."

"Everyone stand down," Janeway ordered as she went up to the computer console just outside the door. "There's a program running now. The name is Allied-HT-1. Does that mean anything to you?"

Chakotay shook his head.

"It's not one I recognize. Look, they don't have any weapons, let's not fuel the fire by barging in with phasers drawn."

"Not the Maquis way, Chakotay?" Janeway asked, with a wry grin.

"I don't care what label you put on it, I'd rather stand them down without having a fight. Wouldn't you?" he challenged.

Janeway looked back at Tuvok and his team. She glanced over to Chakotay, then nodded.

"Ok, let's try this your way. Hold your position here," she ordered the security team.

"Captain, I must object," Tuvok began.

"Noted," she interrupted. "Now let's crash this party before all the cake gets eaten."

Chakotay easily overrode the privacy lock that had been engaged and the doors pulled open noisily. Not loud enough to be heard over the din of the room they entered. For twenty people they were making a lot of racket.

Janeway and Chakotay stood surveying the scene with open-mouthed astonishment. Their presence was quickly noticed and silence descended. A ball dropped out of someone's hands and came to rest at Chakotay's feet. He stooped to pick it up.

"You guys are playing hoverball and I wasn't invited?" he asked, cautiously.

"No offense, old man, but we wanted to win," Bendera called out from across the room.

"Lieutenant Paris!" Janeway called sharply. Tom stepped forward breathing heavily from exertion. He wiped some sweat off his forehead. "What is going on here?"

"We organized a little tournament between the Maquis and Starfleet crews. Just a friendly game. You know, a bit of competition, a chance to blow off some steam..."

"Torres, why didn't you tell me about this?" asked Chakotay. "Why the secrecy? Did you think I wouldn't approve?"

"That's not it at all!" Torres stepped forward now as well. "I wanted to tell you. Hell, I even wanted you on the team!" She threw Kurt a nasty look, but he only laughed. "But we were worried about stirring up trouble. There are still some people, on both crews, who..."

"Who would prefer that we not get along so well," finished Paris when she hesitated. "We just didn't want to cause a disturbance."

Chakotay was shaking his head with amazement. All that worry! For this! A game, for crying out loud, they were playing a game!

"You should have spoken to me, Lieutenant," Janeway said, still a bit stung at having been taken in so neatly.

"We didn't want either of you to know, so that it was clear we were doing this on our own and not under some kind of orders," Paris explained. He caught a glimpse of Tuvok and his team just outside the door. "Oh man! You thought ... you thought..."

"Never mind what we thought!" snapped Chakotay, coming to stand close to Paris. "Just answer me one question!"

There was silence in the room.

"Who's winning?"

*****

Chakotay sat with his back against the wall in holodeck two. The room was in its neutral state, with the grid of the holographic matrix showing plainly. He had lowered the lights slightly. He held the ball, idly turning it in his hands and throwing it into the air. He spun it beside him. Then he picked it up and bounced it off his forehead.

"Chakotay?" came a timid voice in the semi-darkness.

"Yes B'Elanna?" he responded without looking in her direction. She came over to sit beside him.

"You're not really mad, are you?" she asked, sounding a bit worried.

"Not anymore," he replied, spinning the ball again. When he concentrated he could even spin it on his index finger.

"I wanted to say something to you, but I could see why they thought we should keep you and Janeway out of it. There's still some bad blood between the ships and..."

"You don't have to explain it again," he told her softly. "I understand."

"Well, I don't understand you," she burst out. "I thought you'd be thrilled! I thought you'd be happy. I thought you'd be ... relieved."

"Oh, yes, I think relieved covers it best," he commented with a chuckle.

"Chakotay, you told us to make friends with them, to get along with them. Obviously, we're doing that."

"Obviously," he agreed.

"Well, then are you upset because you didn't get to play?"

Chakotay didn't answer for a moment. Then he looked over at his friend. She seemed so concerned. Reaching out, he pulled her closer to him so that she was leaning against his shoulder.

"B'Elanna, you would not believe what a day I've had. I don't believe the day I've had! And after all that, after all that I went through today ... the least you could have done, the very least, was beaten the crap out them!"

"Not fair!" she protested, pulling away laughing. "Paris and Carey were on the Academy all-star teams. They used to play in a league!"

"Excuses, excuses," Chakotay told her, standing. He offered her a hand to help her up. They headed for the door. "Whose ball is it?" he asked as the door opened.

"Leave it," she told him. "We've scheduled a rematch in three days time."

Go to the ninth EOME story Far From My Home

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