INJASUTI
CHAPTER NINE
After Chakotay and Captain Janeway beamed up to Voyager, B'Elanna, Kiridis and the centurion Scaevola surveyed the platform. B'Elanna had clambered up just in time to see a golden torsoed young man hurl a dagger about twelve metres. A cry was heard and then she saw the victim slump slowly to his knees before toppling over. The dogs ran towards the man - the owner of the keening voice of earlier - and began tearing him apart.
In the next moment, the young mother dashed forward to scoop the baby from the platform. B'Elanna heard Chakotay's voice ordering a transport of mother and child. They dematerialised in a blue shimmer. The young Egyptian looking man called the dogs back. They growled fiercely but obeyed him, walking reluctantly back to their handler.
Scaevola ordered his men to search the cave. Three men remained to dispose of the body of Afzhal Serinius. The rest braved the waterfall as they swam through it and disappeared at the back of the curtain of water.
B'Elanna approached the young man. The dogs started to growl.
"Nemo, Bligh, stop."
"Nemo? Bligh?"
"Queen Khaira gave them the names," the young man said in an imperious tone.
"Then you should know that they were fictional names of famous literary captains."
"I thought Queen Khaira - "
"Her name is Captain Kathryn Janeway."
"Captain Janeway would not name them randomly." The young man graced them with a tight smile. B'Elanna realized that Scaevola and the soldiers had made no attempt to apprehend him for killing the Supreme Commander.
"What is your name?" B'Elanna asked him, thinking that all of Injasuti would probably prostrate themselves before him for disposing of the enemy.
"My name is Kephtah."
"I'm B'Elanna Torres and my fellow officer here is Marcus Kiridis."
"Your name is Egyptian," said Kiridis.
"I am Egyptian in origin," said the young man, his voice tinged with pride. "Please, tell me, are the baby and mother safe?" he asked.
Kiridis smiled. "They are safe on our vessel."
"As soon as our doctor has examined them and declared them fit to return, they will be returned safely to Injasuti," said B'Elanna.
"Thank God…"
Kiridis frowned. "God? You do not worship many deities like the rest of the Injasuti?"
"There are many of us who worship the One God. Our historical records indicate that there were many brought here in the great vessel who worshipped a One God. They were Hebrews who fled along with my people…"
"Well, they'll be safe."
"My brother will be filled with joy."
"Your brother?"
"The father of the little girl. Her name is Irezah."
Before B'Elanna could respond, the platform began to move down. She and Marcus looked at Kephtah in surprise, but his approving nod settled them
"Kephtah, there is much we need to learn. For instance, your former Queen? What happened to her?"
"Our Queen died, we believe by the hand of Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius. Please… Once we are down in the depth of the cavern, B'Elanna Torres and Marcus Kiridis, I will explain everything. I will take you to the control room as well. Your clothes are still wet. It is warmer down there; Abry and Shabgah will see to it that you get dry. "
"Thank you, Kephtah."
******
B'Elanna, Kiridis and Scaevola found themselves in the large cavern. Scaevola and some of his soldiers had swum through the waterfall and made their way down from the ground level cave opening. They hadn't bothered drying out, while B'Elanna and Kiridis were simply marched through a man-sized drier, handled by a very odd young couple who only smiled at them. By the time they came out on the other side of it, they were dry. B'Elanna grinned wickedly at Kiridis. His hair was even wilder than usual. Marcus ran his fingers through his hair, creating more disorder.
"Kiridis, you had better see the doctor who can sort - "
"There's nothing wrong with me, B'Elanna Torres."
This time she laughed out loud and slapped his back hard.
"Yeah…right. Until you meet someone for whom you'll want to make a few changes…"
"That will never happen."
"Good for you."
Immediately after that, Kephtah, with the dogs scampering after him, took them to the control room. Unlike the rest of the cavern and tunnels they walked through, the control room had a modern, sophisticated lighting system and along the walls were computers.
"Lieutenant," Scaevola started, "can you determine from here what manner of control Afzhal Serinius had over Injasuti?"
"Definitely," she replied, already heading towards what looked like the main array of panels and monitors. "You will know shortly." She turned to look at Marcus and smiled grimly at him. "That couple, Abry and Shabgah, get them to take you to where Captain Janeway was held. Find out as much as you can. Chakotay will murder you if you come back empty-handed."
"I never - "
"Kiridis, it's a joke. Now, go…"
Marcus turned on his heel. Abry and Shabgah were waiting for them just outside the control room and when he nodded to them, they gestured with their hands for him to follow them. The rest of Scaevola's unit also followed, departing to inspect the other areas inside the Place of the Weeping Water. Scaevola remained with her.
"This shouldn't be too difficult," B'Elanna muttered under her breath as she started searching for data.
"You look different…" Scaevola said. He was standing in front of another panel, working the keys.
"I am Klingon…actually half Klingon, half human…"
"But from the same world as our ancestors?"
"Not really. My homeworld is Q'nos, although I did train on the world of your…ancestors. I married a human. He is our ship's chief navigation officer."
"I would like to see your ship…"
"Don't worry. Once our captain and Commander Chakotay have straightened everything out, you probably will."
Scaevola's attractive face lit up. "Thank you. Thank you too, for ending this…"
"This may not be over yet," B'Elanna responded as she followed her reply with an "Aha!"
"You found something?"
She didn't reply, instead, she flipped her tricorder open and began downloading information onto it. Then she glanced quickly at Scaevola before continuing. "It seems your Supreme Commander was more evil than you thought," she started. "For one thing, he was in direct communication with the Procurator…" B'Elanna frowned. "What's this…?" she asked, more to herself than directing her question to Scaevola. A series of graphemes flashed on the screen…
Scaevola came over to her, his eyes scanning the text.
"On condition no one is injured during the ceremony, I'll grant you the power…"
"Khaless! He was never supposed to kill the babies…"
"And all those Supreme Commanders before him," Scaevola added, outrage clear in his voice.
"And here is the proof that they kept the Procurator in the dark…"
"By claiming war with the Injasuti High Command. Although, Lieutenant Torres, the practice has been in use for thousands of years here, there must have been a time that it could have been stopped and replaced by something else."
"And the something else is right here…all these years…"
"Noted. High Command must be informed. Hundreds of babies have died needlessly…"
B'Elanna muttered again, then added, "You can also tell your superiors that Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius had poison planted on the Osiris before the ship left Injasuti orbit; it was released by remote control from this room…"
"Then he also killed Queen Toreth."
"No doubt about that."
"She must have refused the last sacrifice, Lieutenant Torres. He had no more use of her. And our Procurator brought your captain here as replacement."
"A genetic match."
"Come, B'Elanna Torres. There is much to report, much to be done still."
The two of them then proceeded to create a force field at the entrance to the room. "Here," she told Scaevola," use this disc to deactivate the force field when you need to enter here."
"Thank you. I am certain Emperor Scipio will want to address the Procurator. Injasuti longer has need of him."
"Good. Now, let's get out of here…"
"She had no immediate family," said Livia Gaiden to B'Elanna Torres. "Perhaps the Emperor will conduct a ceremony…"
"There is a son," said Kephtah. "He is still very small. He is cared for in the Great City. No one knows to whom Afzhal Serinius gave the child…"
"We'll find him. What then?" Torres said.
Livia Gaiden stared at the woman before her. She had ridges on her forehead and scowled with every word she spoke. Queen Toreth's son would be taken by the Emperor who would decide what was to become of him. That was the law. Her heart bled for her late Queen and the little boy whom no one had seen. Livia had only seen the birth, and after that Afzhal had taken the baby with its birth string still attached and given it to one of his henchmen to send into the city. He had then assured them that the boy was well cared for.
"Thank you, B'Elanna Torres. Queen Toreth had a last request, as I understand from her handmaiden."
"What is that?"
"That Queen Khaira - "
"Her name is Captain Kathryn Janeway."
"I apologise, Lieutenant Torres. Toreth's request was that Kathryn Janeway personally tell the little boy how much his mother cared for him."
"I'm sure that will be on the list of things Captain Janeway will certainly attend to," B'Elanna said.
"Thank you. I am glad that baby Irezah could be saved. My cousin was not so lucky…"
"Your cousin?"
"Laurana was on the ship that died…"
"I am sorry. The bodies have been transported to the Great City's mortuaries. I understand that a memorial service will be held for them."
Livia felt her spirits lift. It had been an extra-ordinary day. Afzhal Serinius, a man she’d never trusted and always viewed with suspicion, was dead, killed by Kephtah and the queen's dogs. Now she could live her life in peace.
"Livia…"
It was Marcus Kiridis who spoke.
"Yes, sir?"
"Please, call me Marcus. You must know much about life in the Palace. I would like to hear more from you…"
Livia nodded solemnly. She had much to tell. She felt a little in awe of Lieutenant Torres, but Lieutenant Kiridis exuded much kindness.
"We don't have much time, Kiridis. Let me check on further orders from the captain. She might be awake…"
***
When Kathryn opened her eyes slowly, she was overcome by a feeling of intense sadness. She lay for a few moments trying to remember her last waking moments.
She had been staring into the concerned eyes of her first officer, on a platform in front of a waterfall, hearing him cry out her name, looking at her hands… There was blood on her hands. Her eyes had been drawn instantly to the platform in front of her, to the smiling baby, the dagger.
Blood on her hands… A dead baby…dagger… The dagger held in her hands, bearing down on the chest of the child.
She screamed.
"No! No… Please, God, no!"
"Captain!"
The EMH moved swiftly to her side. "What is it, Captain?" he asked.
Her voice was caught on a heavy sob. Memories flooded her conscious. Of arguing with Afzhal Serinius, telling him she could never kill anyone. Of resolutely maintaining that she could never kill a baby. A baby who reached for her with pudgy hands, who smiled and cooed at her. Her distress intensified, and air squeezed from her lungs. Her eyes rolled. The Doctor shook her gently.
"Captain Janeway…Your Highness…"
Another voice, a woman's voice. Kathryn opened her eyes, managed to swallow the sob that escaped.
"Doctor?"
"Tell me, what is the matter, Captain?" the Doctor asked, the hypospray ready in his hand.
"I killed a baby…killed a baby…killed - "
"No, Captain. You didn't kill anyone."
"You are lying! There was blood on my hands…I murdered a child…"
She screamed again. The next moment, the hiss of the hypospray hit her neck. The effect was instant. She lay awake, aware, but no longer wanting to scream. The screams, though, were in her head. She closed her eyes, tried to drown out the sounds of the people, the wailing of the water and their sad song, but it was as if they became louder and louder. Giving a moan, she turned her head away from the hands that tried to lift her up. "No…"
"Captain, you did not kill anyone," the Doctor said in a soothing voice.
The doctor helped her into a sitting position. The pain was gone, but another, deeper, more intense feeling of dismay and remorse was taking hold of her. She thought it would remain in her heart and mind to remind her forever of what she had done.
"She's not dead? I didn't murder her?" she asked.
The doctor smiled at her. How could he smile when the world had turned light into dark?
"Look," he commanded gently and turned her face in the direction of the other bed. Sitting on the bed, with her feet hanging over the side, a baby in her arms, was the young mother of the Injasuti cavern. Kathryn blinked slowly, closed her eyes again as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. It must be a vision, she thought. A vision come to haunt me. She opened her eyes. They were still there - mother and baby. A baby she thought she had killed.
Slowly, Kathryn heaved herself off the biobed. She stumbled as the robe's length caught under her foot. When she reached the young woman and baby, she stopped, her chest hurting from the tension of holding her breath. With trembling fingers, she touched the child's head. The little girl opened her eyes, eyes that no longer looked sedated, but calm and alert. Kathryn felt her eyes fill with tears.
"How…?" she began, frowning.
"Your warrior brought down the unseen wall, Captain Janeway," the young woman said shyly. Kathryn realised it was this voice she’d heard the moment she had opened her eyes.
"Chakotay?"
"I do not know his name, but he is a warrior. He saved us. He saved Injasuti."
"I did not kill this child?" Kathryn asked, still wrenched by the belief that she had driven a dagger through the child's body.
"Your warrior Chakotay brought you out of your pain, Captain Janeway. He did so just in time. He took the dagger from you and flung it to the ground," said the young mother.
Kathryn thought how she had prayed for intervention, for Chakotay to come, indeed, to save her. She looked down at her dress, saw traces of blood on it. She didn't imagine the blood on her hands then.
"There was blood on his hands when he saved you. From the unseen wall."
Kathryn nodded sombrely. Chakotay had performed a miracle. Voyager had performed a miracle. How had he deactivated the force field?
"What is your name?"
"My name is Isabella, Your Highness…"
Kathryn smiled as the title slipped from Isabella. She shook her head. "No, Isabella, I am Captain Janeway, commander of this starship, okay?"
Isabella nodded. "And this," she began, caressing her child's cheek, "is Irezah."
Irezah looked up at Kathryn, giving her a big smile. Kathryn closed her eyes and thought, I almost killed this child…
"I thank you and your warrior for saving little Irezah," said Isabella. "I despaired that I would forever mourn her in the Tophet and that my tears would become one with the weeping of the waters of Injasuti…"
Just then, Kathryn's commbadge beeped.
"Torres to Janeway…"
"Janeway here. Report, B'Elanna."
"Captain, we're glad you're awake. The man called Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius is dead."
Relief flooded Kathryn as she kept her gaze on Isabella and Irezah. She did not wish the man dead, but in the circumstances, Injasuti was well rid of such scum.
"Thank you, B'Elanna. There's more?"
"Aye, Captain. We have a young man here, dressed like an ancient Egyptian prince, with an uh…magnificent bronzed torso. His name is Kephtah. He killed this Serinius."
"How?"
"Threw a dagger all of twelve metres straight into the heart of the Supreme Commander. Killed him instantly. Then the dogs ripped the fiend to pieces."
Kathryn shuddered at B'Elanna's graphic account of the death of a fiend.
"I will be giving a full report on what Lieutenant Kiridis and I discovered, Captain. It's important that you know before you and Commander Chakotay leave to speak with the Emperor. Centurion Scaevola is reporting to his superiors as we speak. Kiridis and I are at the palace at the moment, speaking to a Livia Gaiden. Do you know her?"
"Yes. She's the palace housekeeper."
"She's very concerned about you, Captain. Perhaps you could meet with her again…"
"Thank you, B'Elanna. I will be communicating with the Injasuti High Command as soon as I can get into uniform. Janeway out."
"Captain," the EMH started as he approached them. "This young lady and her pretty little girl have been examined. They are both in good health and ready to be discharged."
"Good." Kathryn looked at Isabella.
"My husband is waiting for me, Captain. My husband and Kephtah, his brother."
"Kephtah is related to you?" Kathryn asked, appalled and surprised.
"He instructed me not to say anything, for even Afzhal Serinius did not know. Yes, Kephtah is my brother-in-law…"
Kathryn smiled. "Doctor, get Ensign Mulcahy to arrange to transport Isabella and her child to her home…"
"Thank you, Captain Janeway."
"There's still much I need to do before we leave this world. Right now I must find Chakotay…"
"I believe he went straight to his quarters. He refused treatment, Captain. Perhaps if you can get him here in sick bay so that I can look at his hands…"
Kathryn nodded, then hit her commbadge.
"Janeway to Chakotay…"
She waited a few seconds before repeating her hail; there was still no response.
"Computer, locate Commander Chakotay…"
"Commander Chakotay is in his quarters."
At that moment a crewman entered sick bay to accompany Isabella and Irezah to the transporter room. Kathryn kissed little Irezah goodbye, then touched Isabella's arm.
"Go well, Isabella. I will return to Injasuti as soon as I have finished here."
"Thank you again, Captain Janeway," said Isabella, less shy than she had been earlier.
Kathryn turned to the doctor. "I'll look in on Chakotay. He's probably sleeping."
"That may be so. He slept very little during the two days we traveled here. But I am concerned, Captain. He was limping when he left sick bay. His palms were probably burned from touching the force field. I understand that many people died trying to enter or leave the area covered by the unseen wall. He did a very dangerous thing…"
"Don't worry. I'll see he gets here."
She went to her own quarters first to change into uniform. Her thoughts were on Chakotay, on arranging a meeting with the Injasuti High Command, on being Queen Khaira for two days, on a baby lying on a stone tablet waiting to be sacrificed to the Goddess Tanith, on the excruciating pain as Afzhal's palm hit her forehead. On seeing Chakotay again as he cried out her name and then, oblivion.
Kathryn dumped the golden garment in the recycler thinking she was well rid of it, then took a quick shower. Twenty minutes later, she was ready for duty as she stood in front of her mirror. A sandwich and coffee, such a far cry from the tasty olives, dates and succulent meats Hanim had given her, had to do for a late afternoon snack.
Smoothing her pants, she exited her quarters and headed for Chakotay's cabin. Hitting her commbadge again, she was met with a computer voice that assured her "Commander Chakotay is in his quarters."
She frowned when he didn't respond to her knocking. Taking a deep breath, she entered her command override keys. The doors slid open.
"Chakotay…"
Her feet bumped into him first, as she gasped. Just inside the doors, Chakotay lay face down on the floor.
"Oh, Chakotay…" she murmured as she turned his face, shocked when she noticed the bluish tinge. Turning his palm up, she noticed the blood still seeping from the pores of his skin. Her hand went to her commbadge. "Janeway to the Doctor…"
"What can I do for you, Captain?" the EHM responded.
"Medical emergency. Beam Commander Chakotay immediately to sick bay…"
By the time Kathryn arrived in the medical bay, Chakotay was on the biobed, being examined by the doctor. The dome was in place with a cortical stimulator secured against his forehead. Chakotay was breathing evenly now. Kathryn's heart was pounding. It had been a shock seeing him lying on the floor, not breathing.
"Status, doctor…"
"Commander Chakotay's heart stopped beating. You arrived just in time, Captain. As I understand, he had to disable the force field with his bare hands."
"Which accounted for the bleeding, I take it."
"Correct. But that's not all. He had a broken ankle. I fixed that - "
"That's not all, is it?"
"The intensity and physical and mental strain of deactivating the force field was too much for his heart, Captain. I don't know how it was possible for one man to do it, or the way that he did it. Lieutenant Torres reported that there was a slight displacement and some electrical discharge when the Commander simply walked through."
"Seven of Nine or Tuvok? Couldn't they have disabled it?"
"I'm left in the dark as to what exactly happened down there. What I do know is that Seven of Nine was pretty much told to discontinue the decryption for the deactivation sequencing."
"Why?"
"Once Commander Chakotay had done the job, the 'wall' was down permanently."
"Then there must have been something he did that only he could do?"
"Precisely. And the only one who can share with you the details of that, is the commander."
Kathryn nodded. "Thank you, Doctor."
She stroked Chakotay's cheek, her heart overflowing with love, with gratitude, with awe as she acknowledged his leadership during the time she had been down on Injasuti as a virtual prisoner. She remembered praying and constantly hoping that he'd come to her rescue. She knew that her crew would leave no stone unturned, but all her yearning had been that he come. She pictured his face, so full of concern so many times. Then trying to hold on to his memory when Serinius dazed her into compliance. Chakotay as she had last seen him, with his dimpled smile that always seemed to touch his eyes.
Chakotay stirred. Seconds later he opened his eyes.
"Kathryn…"
"It's good to see you're awake, Commander. You gave me quite a scare."
"What happened…?"
"You collapsed in your quarters. When I found you, you must have just suffered a massive heart attack." She gave an involuntary sob thinking how timely her arrival in his quarters had been. She regretted wasting time going to her own quarters first to freshen up.
"Kathryn, what is it?"
"I was almost too late," she whispered, stroking his cheek.
"Then you saved me this time."
"Did you know you suffered a broken ankle?"
He remained silent for a few seconds. "I thought I felt something," he said at length. "Like I sprained it."
"You saved my life, Chakotay. I - "
"Saving you, Kathryn, was worth it. Worth it…" he slurred as he closed his eyes again and fell asleep.
"How long before he is ready for duty, Doctor?"
"I'll let him sleep a few hours. After that, Captain, only light duty. Shore leave could not have come at a better time."
Kathryn studied her sleeping first officer. He looked peaceful, his face relaxed. What happened down there? she wondered as she caressed his cheek. All she knew was that he’d simply walked through the force field, one which Seven of Nine, Tuvok and Harry Kim, her best officers on Voyager couldn't disable. Torres, Marcus Kiridis, Neelix and Chell were still on Injasuti. It was time to recall them. While Chakotay rested, she could prepare to contact the Emperor or his ministers.
While she was sick with concern for Chakotay, she was also proud of the away teams, of what Chakotay and Voyager achieved in getting to her in the real nick of time.
They were all seated at the oval table in her briefing room. The away teams had returned and with the rest of the senior officers, they had quietly filed into the room - all but Chakotay who was still in sick bay. The EMH hadn't wanted to discharge him and had appointed Noah Lessing and Sam Wildman to watch over him. According to the doctor, Chakotay could do with the rest as he had major trauma to his heart. By the time it stopped beating, his heart had been reduced to a thready, weak muscle. Much had been done in the last two hours to repair the damage. Lessing and Wildman had been ordered to see that Chakotay remained chained to the biobed. He had become irate when he woke up again after Kathryn left, wanting to get up and walk out of sick bay, threatening to kill Lessing if that tall crewman tried to stop him. For some reason, Kathryn sensed that he wanted to prevent her meeting with senior staff.
Now they were seated around her. Neelix sat next to Kiridis, who had once again been invited to sit in on the proceedings. B'Elanna, Tom, Harry Kim, Seven, the EMH and Tuvok who sat on her left looked expectantly at her. Only Chakotay was missing.
"Before I meet with the Injasuti High Command, I need to establish a few things first…"
"Captain, may I speak first?" asked Neelix.
"Granted."
"There are more than enough food reserves, and we are free to take as much as Voyager can carry, as well as seeds and seedlings of fruits and vegetables that are Earth fruits and vegetables. We have prepared a detailed list of everything that is available. Chell and I were told that the command team must negotiate for the dilithium. Trade negotiations will be very much in favour of Voyager. But Captain, how did you get free?"
"Captain Janeway was not a prisoner," Kiridis blustered, his face beet red as he stammered over his words. "She was a queen."
"Queen Khaira."
"Thank you, Neelix, Mister Kiridis." Kathryn looked at the blushing officer. "I understand that you decrypted the first glyphs that led Voyager here, as well as some of Injasuti's language…"
"Aye, Captain. It wasn't that - "
"Difficult," B'Elanna finished for him. "He reads Phoenician, Captain. We found the library, which proved to be a revelation with regard to the history of Injasuti."
"All over are prayer nooks. The major religions are those of the ancient Carthaginians and the Romans. There are some who worship God," Kiridis added.
"God? Would they know that deity?" Harry asked.
"They would. It's not unlikely," Kiridis offered. "The Phoenicians were merchants with an extensive merchant fleet. They would have come in contact with the Hebrews. They were brought here in the year 146 BCE - the Third Punic War, therefore long before the birth and death of Christ. It makes sense that a monotheistic religion would have survived. When Rome destroyed Carthage, among those who fled were Romans, Numidians, and Hebrews who worshipped God. They would be in the minority here on Injasuti."
"Thank you. Now, Commander Chakotay is still in sick bay. We will meet with the High Command first - "
"The Emperor Scipio," said Kiridis.
Janeway frowned slightly causing Kiridis to blush furiously again.
"Emperor Scipio… We'll meet with him to negotiate our shore leave as well as hammer out some trade agreements.
"B'Elanna?"
"We found the control room, Captain. Suffice to say, everything will be in my official report. I must report here and now, however, that the Supreme Commander Afzhal Serinius controlled all of the area inside the force field. I've also discovered that he had the poison gas phosgene planted on the Osiris - the derelict on which we found the dead women and their children. He released it by remote control, days after they left Injasuti orbit.."
"Boy, he must have been that obsessed…" Tom said.
"A religious fanatic, carried to extremes," added Tuvok.
Seven of Nine cleared her throat. "It is fortunate for the government of Injasuti that Commander Chakotay has disabled the force field. I have only just completed my decryptions. The formulae are still available if the High Command remains interested - "
"Of course they'll remain interested, Seven. The practice of living sacrifices must not continue. We know that keeping the force field down will be a major deterrent in halting the reprehensible rituals. They're out-moded anachronisms - "
"Captain, the force field has been disabled permanently by Commander Chakotay…" began Tuvok. Seven nodded but Janeway was looking at B'Elanna Torres and Kiridis who seemed to clam up after Seven spoke. She frowned again.
"Is there something you're not telling me, B'Elanna?" she asked, her voice cutting.
"It's nothing, Captain. The force field will never go up again, according to historical records."
"That is all? Commander Chakotay almost died bringing down that barrier!"
"According to those same historical documents, Captain, Commander Chakotay should be informing you himself. No other person on Injasuti can do it." Kiridis glanced at B'Elanna, then lowered his gaze when he looked at the captain.
Kathryn stared hard at Kiridis. Something was off, she realised, something they were withholding. Something…
She had to confront Chakotay. Chakotay had behaved as if he wanted to stop this meeting. Why? Why was she kept in the dark about what he had done to save her life and that of a defenceless baby? She had to wait until he woke naturally, when he was fully rested after his ordeal. Sighing, she stood up, her palms pressed down on the table surface.
"I expect your official reports at 1900. Dismissed."
Later in her ready room, Kathryn stared at the face of Gaius Balthazar Barca, First Consul of Injasuti. He reminded her of her father, she realised, smiling to herself.
"It is good to see the captain of Voyager unharmed," Balthazar Barca said.
"It is good to be back on my ship, Consul."
"Please, call me Balthazar."
"Thank you. You bear the name of an illustrious family of Carthaginian generals, Balthazar."
"Yes, Captain Janeway. The name has been handed down for generations here on Injasuti. I am proud."
"It is a great name. We have in our ship's database the complete historical records of the periods leading up to the time your people were brought here, as well as beyond that period. We'd be happy to speak with the Emperor as part of our trade, cultural and shore leave negotiations…"
"Then we shall expect you soon, Captain Janeway. Our people are excited to see humans from another part of this galaxy, from a world we can now call our homeworld."
"My crew are looking forward to shore leave, Consul."
"Captain, all of Injasuti is curious to see you and especially your First Officer, the man who walked unharmed through the unseen wall."
When she closed communication, Kathryn sat back in her chair, deep in thought. There it was again - Chakotay and the unseen wall. Chakotay who was being seen as the saviour of Injasuti, who was a miracle worker. The same Chakotay who almost died walking through the force field. Chakotay was still in sick bay. He remained irritable, according to the doctor, but would be discharged before they were to transport down to Injasuti.
It was time to face him about the force field. If she couldn't get it out of Torres and Kiridis, she was damned well going to get it out of Chakotay. Then again, Kiridis looked tortured, like one who couldn't keep secrets for long. Perhaps that was where she could find out more, if not from Chakotay.
A light flashed on her console. When she flicked it on, it was to see the scowling face of the doctor.
"Captain, Commander Chakotay has left sick bay. I went offline. He slipped out then, without proper discharge. The man is jeopardising his health. He is - "
"Thank you, Doctor. I'll locate Chakotay."
Kathryn shook her head. This was serious. Chakotay might have recovered but he needed to rest. Now he was gone. When the doctor's face vanished from the screen, Kathryn ordered the computer to locate Commander Chakotay.
"Commander Chakotay is in sickbay."
"No, he is not."
"Rephrase."
"Commander Chakotay's commbadge is in sickbay."
Kathryn grimaced at the simple way Chakotay had outsmarted them. Just at that moment, there was another hail, this time from B'Elanna Torres.
"I've just been informed by Ensign Mulcahy that Commander Chakotay has transported to Injasuti, Captain. Here are the co-ordinates. You should follow him."
"Thank you, B'Elanna," Kathryn replied as she copied the co-ordinates to her tricorder. "B'Elanna…"
"What is it, Captain?"
"There is something I want you to do before I transport to these co-ordinates. I'll meet you in Engineering."
"Acknowledged. What is it about?"
"When I get there, I'll tell you. Janeway out."
Kathryn remained in her ready room for a few minutes, thinking about Chakotay. Their talk was going to come sooner than she’d thought. But first, another fact needed to be established. She hit her commbadge, smiling grimly as she considered what she was about to do.
"Janeway to Lieutenant Kiridis."
There was a long pause as she waited for his response. She could picture Kiridis scuttling about trying to avoid her. She was about to hit her commbadge again when he responded.
"Kiridis here. What can I do for you, Captain?"
"I want to see you in my ready room. You have ten minutes. Janeway out."
************
END CHAPTER NINE