Star Trek Voyager: The Loving Game

Star Trek Voyager: The Loving Game (Chapter 45)

“What were the Captain’s reasons for asking the crew to research their family history again?” Seven asked Chakotay with a bored sigh as she laid the PADD listing the birth, marriage and death records of the entire Hansen family going back fifteen generations.

“She decided it would be a good way for the crew to celebrate First Contact Day.” Chakotay began to explain, “It seems she’s starting to worry about losing contact with her roots, and says this could be a good bonding exercise for the crew, since it been quite quiet recently…”

“Quiet?” Seven echoed incredulously, “What about the Relativity incident last month? I’d call that a notable event.”

Chakotay winced, remembering the upsetting sight of seeing another, future, Seven die in front of his eyes, pleading with her past self to change events or everyone else on Voyager would be dead and she’d be trapped reliving it on a time-ship, the U.S.S Relativity, forever. “Don’t remind me, I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day.”

Seven gave him an apologetic, understanding smile, “I know, it was an…unsettling experience.” She sighed as he nodded in agreement and changed the subject, “Have you found anything of note…” She began to ask before the stack of PADDs around them fell to the ground with a crash. “Celeste!” she admonished as she gathered up the mess, the six month old baby watching the activity she’d created with a simple push with a satisfied smile on her face.

Chakotay chuckled fondly in amusement at his daughter’s antics, “Come here mischief.” He told her, picking her up and placing her safely in his lap where she, presumably, couldn’t cause much trouble. “I’ve found plenty things of interest Seven, what are exactly are you looking at? Your family can’t be as boring as you’re making them out to be.”

Seven obligingly handed him over the PADD she’d been studying, “Birth, marriage, death and census records, what else is there?”

Chakotay couldn’t stifle a laugh and exchanged a look with Celeste, “Good idea knocking those PADDs over sweetie.” He whispered in her ear, making her giggle at the ticklish sensation before babbling in agreement. Catching Seven’s quizzical look, he began to try and explain, “Seven, history, isn’t all about dates, and family history is no exception, what you’re reading doesn’t exactly give you any sort of picture of anyone’s lives or experiences, does it?”

“No…” Seven answered uncertainly, “But they are dead.” She pointed out bluntly.

“I’d like to think our lives would still matter to someone after we’ve died.” Chakotay countered gently, stroking Celeste’s rosy cheek affectionately as a case in point.

Seven gave Celeste a soft smile as the meaning of his comment sunk in but frowned thoughtfully at him as she asked, “What do you suggest I do then?”

“Well, try and find contemporary accounts…” Chakotay paused, pondering what was the best way to illustrate what he meant, then an idea hit him and he handed her a PADD he was halfway through reading. “This, for example, is the report my great-great grandfather made when he was scouting planets for our people to colonise.”

“Really?” Seven questioned in surprise, taking the PADD and reading a section out loud, “Today, while travelling through a nebula some crewmembers have christened “The Galaxy’s Trash Can”, there was serious damage to the Mess Hall and I had to listen to everyone moaning about the rations…” She stopped reading and raised an eyebrow at Chakotay, “Your daily trials seem remarkably similar.”

He laughed, “Don’t I know it! The trash can is still the slang name for that nebula after all this time, Dorvan V, where they settled, is just beyond that. You can see it in the distance on a clear night, colouring the sky…” He sighed at the memory.

“Why did your people go so far away from Earth?”

“Earth was getting overpopulated at that time and after years of being limited to the reservations, I suppose they took the chance.” Chakotay said after a pause for thought. “It paid off, we flourished, and it was ours.” Seven could hear the mournful note in his voice but let him continue, “It’s beautiful there, mostly rainforest of the kind that was nearly obliterated on Earth, and three moons, so there was always at least one full moon at night…”

Seven smiled wistfully at the mental image that conjured up, “You were born there weren’t you?” she asked quietly as Celeste freed herself from her father’s grip and crawled over to her.

He nodded, “Yeah, my sister and father were too. My mom was born on Earth, her family didn’t leave for Dorvan V until she was in her teens.”

Seven bit her lip, unsure whether she should broach this, but her curiosity got the better of her. “You don’t speak about your sister much…” She began carefully, “Do you…miss her?”

“Sekaya? I suppose I do…” He admitted half-heartedly, “To be honest, we were never that close, she’s eight years older than me and left for college on Earth the moment she turned eighteen.” His sigh was heavy with regret, “And she didn’t exactly approve of my involvement with the Maquis…”

 Seven wasn’t sure how to respond to that admission of estrangement and instead focused on the previous sentence. “ She went to Starfleet Academy, like you did?” Seven enquired as she distractedly smoothed out Celeste’s brown hair, which was almost duckling like in its fluffiness.

Chakotay laughed at the thought, “No, that’s not exactly her style! She became a teacher actually.”

Seven brightened a little at that, maybe she did have something in common with this unknown woman. “She likes children?”

“Yes…” Chakotay answered, feeling he was stating the obvious before cottoning on to what she was getting at, “She’ll love Celeste, I’m sure.”

“Good.” Seven mumbled, glancing down at her cybernetic hand, wondering what she’d think of the Borg drone that had somehow become her brother’s lover.

 Chakotay frowned at her, as if he’d heard what she was thinking, and gave the critiqued hand a gentle squeeze. “You’d like each other, you’ll always have me in common.”

Seven lifted her head and smiled gratefully at him before sighing and asking a question which had always been in the back of her mind. “Chakotay, the Cardassians ruined your home world didn’t they?”

Chakotay flinched, never really comfortable with this topic, no matter who asked him. “Yes, they did, killed my father and practically everyone else. It’s so populated now by weapons fire even they themselves can’t live there.”

Seven gave him a deeply empathic look which warmed his heart again but asked in a near whisper. “If your home is gone, then why do you wish to return to the Alpha Quadrant as much as any of the others?”

“Well, it’s a great deal more hospitable than here Seven, and I don’t know…maybe we can rebuild someday.” He answered after an emotive pause, her question having caught him off guard. “And I guess I don’t want the Caretaker to beat us.”

“An ancestral home…” Seven murmured thoughtfully, “I suppose it’s something, a past to build a life on.”

Chakotay swallowed as he looked at her and their daughter. “I’ve learned that it’s people that truly enrich life Seven.” She smiled in agreement and kissed him gently, gratified by the confidence he took in her.

A/n: This is just my attempt to adapt “11:59”, I hope its okay. I’m sorry about “Relativity”, I like that episode and did intend to rewrite for this but I couldn’t think of a way to significantly change it. PLEASE REVIEW! :D