Star Trek Voyager: Lost and Found

Star Trek Voyager: Lost and Found (Chapter 12)

As buzz of the transporter faded Chakotay stood up from the floor and offered his hand to Seven but she shied away nervously and dragged herself into the nearest chair without looking at him. He watched her position herself away from him and then start to stare at the wall, projecting every physical sign of total rejection of him. Had the bond of love and trust that had once been so strong between them really been so utterly broken?

She could feel his eyes gazing mournfully at her back but couldn’t turn to face her fate straight on; he should hate me after all I’ve done. I have to accept his terms. Her mouth did not carry out these thoughts though, instead vocalising her almost animal like desire to escape. “I…must…return to Sickbay.”

Despite himself Chakotay felt anger and hurt surge through him, scattering his reason in its path. “Why? So you can avoid me again and hide my daughter from me!” He saw her wince as if he’d hit her and guilt replaced the withdrawing tide of anger. Why did I say that? It’s not even how I feel! Please just talk to me Seven.

“I will never stop you from seeing Xenia! I would not flaunt her in that manner!” She exclaimed passionately, before continuing in a resigned whisper. “You do not need to talk to me; I understand your feelings toward me…”

Chakotay struggled to interpret this, was she breaking up with him, destroying all his hopes? He began calmly but was unable to keep the pleading note from his voice. “No, I don’t think you do understand.”

“Of course I do, your hatred is perfectly reasonable and you do not need to explain.”

Chakotay could not believe what he was hearing. “Hatred?” he echoed.

Seven rose rapidly and tried to leave but Chakotay recovered enough to bound up to her and seize her by the arm, but she twisted away from him. “Why are you torturing me like this? I’ve accepted it, you don’t owe me anything!”

He used unnatural strength he hadn’t known he had to turn her to face him and hold her there against her will. “No! I’m not letting you leave here thinking that I hate you, for God’s sake explain to me how you could possibly think that I feel that way!”

Seven gave a choked sob, “You nearly died because of me! I thought you were dead!”

“I’m right here! They just stunned me!” he yelled in frustration.

His forceful approach didn’t get through to her. “The baby…I just dumped her on you…I’m just as bad as Seska…” Seven mumbled almost incoherently.

Chakotay didn’t think he could be shocked any more but this did it. “What are you talking about? Seska was a lying bitch.”

Her head dropped even further and gradually a horrible realisation hit him. “Seven, don’t think like that! The two situations are incomparable! She stole my DNA and passed off a Kazon child as mine, you were my kidnapped fiancée who happened to be pregnant! You are blameless in this entire horrible situation!” Seven sank as suddenly as a collapsed stack of cards to the floor, Chakotay following and immediately pulling her into his arms where she buried her head in his chest and began to cry uncontrollably. He bent protectively over her, disturbed by the fact that, despite the baby weight, he could feel every one of her ribs and spinal vertebrae. How close he had been to finding her and Xenia dead on that ship?

Neither of them knew how long they just sat there but eventually Seven’s sobs subsided enough to allow her to talk again. “You’re not angry about the baby?”

Chakotay tilted her chin up so he could look in her eyes. “No, I’m not angry about my little miracle; she’s perfect, just like her mother.”