Disclaimer: The usual. Paramount owns everything Trek. No infringement intended. Just borrowing some characters names for my story.

"The Ultimate Sacrifice"

by Dee Price


"I don't think we're going to make it Chakotay!" yelled Janeway over the screaming struggle of the shuttle's engines. "We have to set back down!"

"No, we only have enough energy for one attempt! Keep trying," he yelled as he looked down. They were only about 35 feet from the ground. "We have too much weight!" and acting on an instinctive decision reached out, tapped a button on the panel and as the side hatch started to open, rose, took one step, yelled "Go Kathryn!" and dove through the door. As he hurtled toward the ground he heard Kathryn screaming his name.

Chakotay hit the ground hard, his arms outstretched, but on impact felt searing pain in both arms, his chest, right hip and leg and as his head whip lashed onto the ground, he involuntarily screamed. As he succumbed to the blessed blackness his last thoughts were, "Goodbye Kathryn."

Meanwhile Kathryn fought desperately to control the shuttle, struggling to get the hatch door shut as the ship, without Chakotay's weight, shot upward toward outer space. Her first instinct was to return so she could help him, but she also remembered their previous night's argument about weight and their chances, when he had volunteered to stay on the planet so she could leave and try to find Voyager. He had been right, of course, as he had shown now, but it didn't make it any easier.

Finally getting the hatch closed and the shuttle under control, she glanced down and barely saw the small form lying motionless on the ground. Her heart cramped at that sight. He had sacrificed himself for her, so she could make her way back to Voyager. If she had only agreed to his argument last night he would still be alive. Suddenly she was mad and cursed him loud and long, even as she continued her upward flight.

"Damn you Chakotay," she yelled out loud. "Why did you have to be right? Why did I have to be so stubborn?" she screamed even as she thought back to what had transpired.

* * * * *

Chakotay had struggled mightily to maintain altitude as the crippled shuttle headed for the planet. On landing, the ship had sustained damage, but was repairable. For two weeks they worked on fixing the damage, all the while hoping Voyager would find them. They had been on an away mission to search for raw material, when the shuttle sustained damage in an ion storm. To their horror they also discovered their Communications and ability to send out an Emergency Buoy were also damaged. They were on their own and Voyager had no idea where they were!

"I'm sure Voyager is searching for us, Chakotay," said Kathryn.

"Agreed, but they have no idea what happened to us and we were due back only two days ago. By now out warp trail has dissipated."

"Well, I know Tuvok and he will find a way. We'll be rescued, I have to believe that."

When they finally finished what repairs could be accomplished, Chakotay had casually mentioned the engines were only at 68% capacity and they would barely make it into space.

"I'll stay behind, Kathryn, while you go search for Voyager," he said.

"No, I won't leave you behind Chakotay. We go together."

"But the shuttle can't carry both our weights. You're the lightest and also the Captain. You have to go, Kathryn."

"No, Chakotay, we'll make it."

"Kathryn you know that's not true. You must get back to Voyager. The ship, the crew, needs you."

"Once and for all, Chakotay, I won't leave you on this God-forsaken planet, wherever it is. I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me. We both go on the shuttle tomorrow and that's final. Don't make me make it an order!" she said eyes glaring at him.

"But you can find Voyager and then come back for me," Chakotay said, continuing in his effort to convince Kathryn.

"No!" she barked. "Now we leave in the morning so let's get some rest."

* * * * *

Kathryn sighed quite loudly as she thought back over those events. The shuttle had now entered orbit and she had immediately sent out a hail on all bands. As the minutes ticked by and no response was heard, she again thought of Chakotay lying on that planet below, and an unbidden, suppressed tear trickled down her cheek. She hurriedly swept it away with her hand and kept saying, "Why, Chakotay? We could have made it. Why did you sacrifice yourself for me?" Even as those thoughts raged through her mind she knew why and despite her best efforts, she was unable to stem pools of tears welling in her eyes, until at last the overflow rolled down her cheeks.

A day, two days, a week, then a month went by without finding Voyager. Her heart sank, as she knew without a doubt they had finally given up and moved on toward Earth. This again made her angry. She would much rather have been stranded on that planet with Chakotay than in this shuttle, and she let loose with an angry stream of invectives toward him. When not assailing him she cried over his loss and the sacrifice he had made.

It was three months later when a freighter happened upon her shuttle. The shuttle was barely holding altitude at this point and Janeway herself was in ill health. She was tractored into their cargo bay and treated by their medical man. They were part humanoid and part reptilian in appearance, but treated her gently and with respectful care.

After hearing her story, the Captain, a man called J'Amah, said he had heard of The Voyager and proceeded to send out hails. One response indicated The Voyager had passed this way two months ago, and Captain J'Amah, curious about this strong-willed woman and her ship, set a course after Voyager.

On two planets, where they stopped for supplies, J'Amah had again inquired and smilingly told Janeway Voyager had also made stops there. Grateful for this Captain's help, Janeway, once she regained her health, had pitched in to help with loading and unloading of cargo, as well as assisting down in the engine room.

"We will find your Voyager, Captain Janeway," he had said. "We have already gained three weeks on them."

* * * * *

Chakotay gradually regained consciousness and while screaming in agonizing pain, managed to crawl into the shade before collapsing into the welcome blackness of oblivion. Consciousness slowly returned and as he gradually moved from black to a gray haze to the colors around him, he took a deep breath. He was still alive!

Looking down at his belt he heaved a sigh of relief: the TriCorder and small emergency packet he had hooked there while packing the shuttle was still intact. After a painful struggle he managed to get into a sitting position and while leaning against a tree attempted a scan of his body. With the effort initiating pain on each and every movement, it seemed to take forever, but at last he completed his scan. The news was not good, with many broken bones, a bruised Kidney and Liver and a concussion, but if he was going to survive until Kathryn got back he had to repair and heal as much as he could. Opening the packet he took out the Osteo-Regenerator and set about trying to heal his broken bones.

It took almost three hours as he kept passing out from the pain, but at last the fractures had been repaired, at least good enough for him to move around a little. He would work more on them later he decided, as he now rested and glanced around at his surroundings. A shelter would have to be built now that he was stranded here, and there really wasn't much to work with, but he felt pleasure that Kathryn had made it off the planet. Suddenly grinning he thought, "Boy if she were here now would she ever ream me out!" Well, she was safe and heading for Voyager and he was alive. Tomorrow he would start the shelter, but now he needed rest as well as water and food.

After another hour of rest, during which he snoozed off and on, he attempted to heal the internal bruising. Feeling he had done as much as he could medically he slowly rose, and although groaning and feeling a bit dizzy with each step, started to investigate his new 'home'.

* * * * *

Harry sat at his OPS station, his mind wandering. Not much had been the same since Tuvok, after one solid month of searching, had abandoned all hope of finding Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay, and resumed course for home. The crew had used every method at their disposal to search for their officers, and had one brief moment of euphoria when they found a Starfleet trail, but it ended. Even so, they had searched that area fully, but to no avail. He had to give Tuvok credit for staying a month on this search, but then, despite some of the crew wanting to continue the search, Tuvok had turned the ship for home.

Suddenly his panel beeped. Looking down, he tapped the reading and then said, "We are receiving a long distance hail, Mr. Tuvok."

"From whom, Mr. Kim?" asked Tuvok from the Command Chair.

"Can't tell sir. It appears to be a hail asking for information and is on all frequencies."

"Let's hear it, Mr. Kim," said Tuvok.

Loud static filled the air and Harry worked to clear it up. "I have it now, sir."

"To any and all vessels. This is Captain J'Amah of the freighter Tograh. If anyone has information on a ship called Voyager, please advise." At the mention of their ship's name, the entire Bridge sat up and listened intently. However, there wasn't anymore, the message just kept repeating.

"From where is this message originating, Mr. Kim," asked Tuvok as he rose and faced the Ensign.

Harry again worked his panel. Looking up he said, "It's about six days away from here, Commander, from an area we have previously traveled through. I wonder why they want information on Voyager? We haven't done anything wrong - at least not recently," he added.

"It could be a trap," said Tom as he swiveled around. "We haven't exactly made a lot of friends in this quadrant."

Tuvok stood silently, obviously assessing the situation. "There are no other ships in the area?"

"No sir," said Harry. "Wherever they are, that's the only ship, and they are at the extreme edge of our sensors."

"Very well. Answer the hail, Mr. Kim, but be evasive."

"Not tell them who we are?"

"That is correct. We must ascertain the reason for their inquiry."

Harry sent out a return hail and asked why they were curious about Voyager. Should they be wary?

Ten minutes later they got an answer. "It is curious that you ask why when your message indicates a Starfleet signature."

Tuvok frowned. "I wonder how aliens would know our signature trail? Very well, Mr. Kim, respond, but inform them we are being cautious, that we always seem to be defending ourselves against unwarranted attacks."

The response made Harry smile. "Caution is always best, my old and dear friend."

Suddenly B'Elanna whooped from her Engineering Station on the Bridge. "It's the Captain! Who else would call Tuvok 'old and dear friend'?"

A raucous babble erupted on the Bridge but immediately quieted down when Tuvok raised his hand. "Who, indeed," he said with his perpetual frown evident, and gave Harry the response: "If I am an old and dear friend, then where am I from?"

This time when the reply came back Harry was laughing so hard he could hardly talk. "Vulcan. Now are you going to stop Voyager and let me back on my ship or do we have to continue these mindless word games?"

"All stop," ordered Tuvok immediately. After a moment's thought he changed to, "Hard about Mr. Paris, warp four."

* * * * *

Captain J'Amah grinned as this 'conversation' between the two ships continued. Janeway had been smiling ever since the first response asking should they be wary. Standing beside the OPS officer she had been allowed to check the sensors and detected the Starfleet signature, knowing immediately it was Voyager.

Three days later the two ships met in the middle of nowhere, and as she and Captain J'Amah materialized on the Bridge of Voyager, the crew rose as one and gave her a standing ovation, much to her, as well as Captain J'Amah's delight.

After introducing J'Amah she was asked about Chakotay by B'Elanna.

Janeway's face immediately was forlorn and she gave a shake of her head, saying she would explain it all later. "For now, I would like to have a large thank you dinner for Captain J'Amah and his crew. They saved my life and went well out of their way to not only help me personally, but help return me to Voyager."

Following dinner, Captain J'Amah toured Voyager, then at 2200 hours beamed back to his ship and as Voyager's crew watched on the view screen, the Tograh turned and headed back for its space.

"Captain?" said B'Elanna. "We know it's late, but Chakotay? He's not dead is he?"

Janeway gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I'm not sure B'Elanna, but I think so. We had repaired the ship as much as we could but there was too much weight as we tried to leave the surface and Chakotay opened the hatch and dove out. I think we were 35-40 feet above ground. The minute his weight left the shuttle it virtually shot up and I had to get the hatch shut and attain control. My one glance down showed him lying on the ground and not moving. He made the ultimate sacrifice to save me," she said in a breaking voice.

"But you don't know for sure if he died?" she pressed.

"No, I don't know, but I'm also not sure he could have survived that fall."

"How long have you traveled?" asked Tom. "We stopped searching about five months ago."

"We were on the planet two weeks making repairs, and I was on the shuttle a month before Captain J'Amah found me and very graciously kept moving in this direction, periodically putting out hails."

"We're going back for Chakotay, aren't we?" asked Harry.

"That return trip," said Tuvok in a calm voice, "Would take almost six months and then another six months to just get back to where we are now. We would lose a year, Captain, for one man."


"How can you be so uncaring Tuvok? Chakotay is a human being and is part of our crew!" yelled Tom.

"Yes, what the hell difference does that make, Tuvok," growled B'Elanna. "Time is irrelevant. Chakotay would do it for us!"

"Need I remind you, Lt. that Commander Chakotay likely died when he hit the ground."

B'Elanna angrily turned and looked at Captain Janeway, who had stood silently during this debate. "Captain?" she asked.

Janeway looked at her, wetness rimming her eyes. "I don't know B'Elanna. Let me think on it," she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"Do nothing?" asked Tom with anger and belligerence in his tone.

Janeway turned and silently walked off the Bridge, her normally erect posture not evident at all.

* * * * *

Chakotay huddled inside his makeshift shelter, his knees drawn tightly to his chest. The storm outside raged and he shivered violently from the cold. There was also a steady drip of water leaking in, adding to his misery. He had lost a lot of weight, as food was not abundant on this planet and he had taken to eating grubs, worms, grass, a few wild berries he found and an occasional fish from a stream he had discovered 500 meters from his shelter. But it was not enough and he was well aware of that fact. His clothes were now dirty and torn, virtually rags, and hung on his lean frame. His hair was long, dirty and matted, and his beard scraggly and matted as well.

The one grace he had was early on, when on one of his hikes, he had found an old abandoned area that had once been a village and he had scavenged some hand made 'cups' and miscellaneous materials. He even found an animal skin, although he himself had never seen any animals. The shelters had been made out of weeds and grasses and long since collapsed. "Like mine will before long," he had mused to himself.

How long had he been here he wondered as the rain continued pouring down. Why worry about that he mused, he wouldn't last too much longer. His strength was beginning to wane tremendously without enough to eat, and his hikes to find food were becoming harder and shorter. Soon he would be too weak to forage for food at all. He had to plan for that eventuality. He thought of Kathryn and prayed to his Spirits she had found Voyager.

* * * * *

Kathryn sat in her quarters staring out the view window. Her door sounded and she called, "Enter."

Tuvok entered the room and quietly approached her. "I'm sorry to disturb you at this late hour. Sensors indicated you were still awake. Are you all right, Captain?"

"Yes, I'm fine Tuvok," she replied in a quiet voice.

"I feel we need to further discuss the matter of Commander Chakotay. Despite your feelings I am sure you realize it would not be wise to return for him. As I said earlier that effort would involve a year's time for one individual, and we would be no further towards Earth than where we are right now. In addition, he is likely dead and all we would find is his bones."

Janeway remained silent and did not even look at him.

"Captain?"

"I heard you Tuvok."

"I'm sure you agree with my assessment, do you not?"

"I don't know, Tuvok. Chakotay saved my life by leaving the shuttle. He could have just been injured, not killed, and if we continue on and he's still alive . . . then we have abandoned him."

"I must repeat, if he died in that jump, we would only be finding bones, Captain. Is that possibility worth that loss of time? I'm not sure the crew would accept that decision."

"He saved my life, Tuvok," said Janeway fighting back the tears.

"I put it to you that you must make your decision based on being the Captain of this ship and what is best for the crew."

Janeway remained quiet and as she reached up and brushed her eyes said, "I know," and turned and looked once again out her window.

Five minutes later she looked back to see if he was still in the room and noting he had left, retired for the evening, only to toss and turn. Late in the morning she drifted off, only to dream of Chakotay diving out of the shuttle.

Voyager sat silently during most of the next day, awaiting the Captain's orders. Finally she appeared briefly on the Bridge, gave Tom orders to get underway at 1/4 Impulse and immediately left, leaving Tuvok in charge.

That night as she again sat and stared out the window, she had two visitors, Tom and B'Elanna.

"We don't mean to disturb you Captain, but we don't understand you not going back for Chakotay. What if he is alive?"

"I'm sure you heard the time factor Tuvok mentioned, B'Elanna."

"One year? So what!" said B'Elanna, her voice rising. "We are trapped out here in the Delta Quadrant for virtually our lifetime. It's not fair to leave him behind!"

"Don't you think I know that? Don't you know how I want to go back? He's probably dead, B'Elanna, and I have lost a very dear friend."

"That's all the more reason to go back. Think of all he did for you! All he did for this ship! To leave him lying on some planet, without his proper burial, without observing his tribe's customs! His father . . . I can't believe you'd desert him like this."

"Captain I agree with B'Elanna," said Tom quietly. "Sure it's a year, but it isn't anything he wouldn't do for the rest of us. Even if he's dead, he deserves better treatment from us than to just go off and leave him - to just leave his bones bleaching in the sun."

Janeway looked at their two earnest faces. "I just don't know," she whispered. "I'm torn on what to do. The crew . . ." and her voice trailed off.

"The crew be damned," growled B'Elanna. "Besides more than just Tom and I want to go back. Captain, please. Chakotay was your friend. You said he saved your life, gave the ultimate sacrifice. Well Chakotay deserves for us to make the ultimate sacrifice, too!"

At that statement, Janeway looked at them, suddenly stood and tapped her Com badge. "Janeway to Bridge. Hard about, Warp 9, we're going back for Commander Chakotay."

* * * * *

Five and one-half months later Voyager moved into orbit above the planet and Janeway and B'Elanna immediately beamed down to the coordinates.

"He's not here," said Janeway. "This is where I took off so he survived the fall," she said with a tinge of hope in her voice.

The two women moved into the trees and started moving their TriCorder's about. "Here Captain," called out B'Elanna. "This is the shelter he built . . . if you can call it that."

"Oh my," said Janeway as she stared in horror. "Don't tell me he lived in that for a year!"

"There's not much here, but these rags are what remains of his Starfleet uniform," said B'Elanna as she knelt and looked through scattered remnants lying about. "So he survived for some time."

"Let's look around," said Janeway. "I can't believe he survived all this and is now dead."

Suddenly B'Elanna said, "Listen, Captain!"

A voice, although weak and hoarse, was heard in the trees nearby and the two women started in that direction. As they arrived at the area of the voice they saw a person with long, dirty and matted hair and beard, and an animal skin wrapped around his waist. His skin was dirty, with caked dirt in places and mud in others with his body sweating. His skeleton showed clearly through the skin and there were sores all over his body.

Kathryn and B'Elanna stopped dead in their tracks, realizing it was Chakotay and just stared . . . not only at what was left of him, but listening to his rambling talk.

Chakotay was on his knees using a wooden board and stabbing it into the ground. "Oh Great Spirits, I . . . have to . . . get this done. Please . . . help me. Can't die now. Need . . . get this done. Father, help me . . . please. Can't let animals get my bones . . . need get this done . . . can't die yet."

Suddenly Kathryn's eyes went wide. He was digging his own grave!

"My God," whispered B'Elanna as she also stared. "Captain, he's . . ."

"I know," and she started walking toward him.

"All . . . alone . . . help me father. Need get this done. Weak . . . won't last . . . long. No help. All alone.

"You're not alone, Chakotay," said Kathryn softly as she walked up to him.

Chakotay's head came up, he was quiet a moment, then he gave a raucous laugh. "I'm going insane . . . hearing voices . . . but it . . . can't be Kathryn. She's . . . safe, she's safe," and he kept digging the board deeper into the ground.

Kathryn kneeled beside him. "It is Kathryn, Chakotay. It's me. You're not alone anymore."

Chakotay lifted his head and stared at her. Shaking his head he again started his rambling. "Hallucinating . . . I'm . . . seeing things." He then turned back to the task at hand. "Got to finish . . . got . . ."

Kathryn placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "It's Kathryn, Chakotay. I made it to Voyager and I've come back for you."

He stared at her, not comprehending. B'Elanna moved up to the other side and as she knelt down said, "It is the Captain, Chakotay. This is B'Elanna. We've come back for you."

Chakotay turned his head and stared at B'Elanna. "B'Elan . . . I'm going crazy . . . losing . . . my mind. Got to . . . concentrate."

"No Chakotay," said Kathryn firmly as she reached forward, placed her hands on his face and turned his head to her. "I'm real, B'Elanna's real. We've come back to get you. You're safe now."

Chakotay blinked. "Safe? Back? . . . Kathryn?"

"Yes, Chakotay, it's me," and she looked up at B'Elanna. Both women had tears streaming down their faces.

"Kathryn . . . you're safe . . ." and Chakotay gave a big sigh and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Both women simultaneously slapped their badges and gave a chorused a yell of "Emergency Transport!"

As the three materialized in Sick Bay, Tom, who was waiting, moved quickly to their side.

"Help me get him up on the bed, Tom," said B'Elanna, and they lifted Chakotay and placed him on a Biobed just as the Doctor moved in with his Medical TriCorder.

"Oh God, please, don't have him die now, after all this," whispered Janeway as she remained kneeling on the floor, watching.

After a moment B'Elanna moved to her and extended a hand to help her to her feet, and then both women stood back and watched the Doctor and Tom administer to Chakotay. Instruments moved quickly, scans were made and hypos were applied. Twenty minutes later the Doctor moved toward the Captain with a solemn look on his face.

"The Commander will make it, Captain, but I don't understand how. He has apparently tried to repair several broken bones, and I will need to perform surgery on them. They don't look too good. Besides that he has disease, several as a matter of fact. Scurvy and Beriberi are the most prominent diseases, and, as you might surmise, severe malnutrition. He has lost 103 pounds and is virtually skin and bones in that regard. His blood pressure is extremely low and his blood cell count is ridiculous. In addition he has lice and other vermin in his hair and beard, but that is easily treatable. Mr. Paris is now shaving all that hair off," he said nodding his head towards Tom.

"Also, his mind has been affected. He is delirious and keeps feeling he is hallucinating, but again we can take care of that. Right now I have injected him with several anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial drugs and I will presently sedate him, as a semi coma will help keep him quiet and help the healing while I continue to treat him. We will also bathe him, as if you didn't know he needs that, and then I will immediately start the surgery. We will also be giving him nutritional hypos and liquids."

"But he will make it, Doctor," whispered Janeway.

"Yes, Captain, he will make it, but he will have a lengthy rehab here in Sick Bay, so you might as well give me orders now to keep him here. I know how you people feel about being in this place," he grumbled.

"Is it possible to talk to him?"

"Yes, but I must warn you, he's still delirious."

Kathryn immediately moved to his side as Tom moved away, giving her some privacy. Taking hold of his hand she lowered her head. "Chakotay? Can you hear me? It's Kathryn."

His eyes opened and he stared at her for a moment. Finally a light of recognition shone in his eyes. "Kathryn. You're safe. You made it to Voyager?" he said in a very weak whisper.

"Yes," she said with a big smile. "I'll tell you all about it later. You rest now and just know you're back on Voyager."

"You . . . You came back for me after all that time?"

"Yes, you don't think I could function without the best First Officer in the fleet, do you?"

A small twitch at the corner of his mouth showed. "Thank you," he whispered in a hoarse voice and his eyes closed.

"He's gone to sleep, Captain," said the Doctor as he prepared a Hypo. "And he will stay asleep for the next four to five days while I perform my miracle on him," he added as he applied the Hypo. "Now I suggest you also get some rest. Knowing you, you have hardly slept for the last six months."

Janeway nodded her head and as she turned to leave admonished the Doctor with, "Keep me posted. I mean it doctor . . . on everything." As she walked to B'Elanna they hugged and Janeway told her to get some rest as well and along with Tom they left Sick Bay.

As they walked down the corridor Janeway suddenly said, "Thank you, both of you."

"For what, Captain?" asked Tom.

"For insisting we go back."

"Oh you would have turned us around the next day," said B'Elanna with a grin. "We just moved it up a few hours."

Janeway stopped walking and looked at them, and then smiled. "Yes, I think you're right. In my head I kept hearing Chakotay's voice and I knew deep in my heart I wouldn't leave him there."

* * * * *

Early one afternoon, three weeks later, Chakotay was wheeled into the Mess Hall. All the officers were there, wearing their Dress Uniform, as well as a large turnout of the crew who were off duty. Chakotay was still quite thin and pale, and people seeing him for the first time were shocked at how gaunt he was.

Kathryn stepped up beside him, smiled, and said, "We are all gathered here today to honor Commander Chakotay. When we speak of 'beyond the call of duty' we speak of acts of bravery beyond comprehension. When Commander Chakotay opened the hatch of the shuttle and dove out, his only thought was of saving me. That is what I call the Ultimate Sacrifice. He knew as he sailed out into open air he probably wouldn't survive the fall, but he did. Then he endured not only the broken bones of that fall, but incredible hardships of trying to survive for almost a year in an area that barely had food, a shelter that wasn't and being alone, deserted, left to die.

"His Great Spirit smiled down on me and I was rescued by a marvelous and compassionate man, Captain J'Amah, and after six months found Voyager. Then, with a willing crew, and God bless you for that, Voyager returned and found Chakotay alive, barely, but alive nonetheless."

She turned to Tuvok and received a small box from him. Stepping in front of Chakotay she opened the box and lifted out a blue ribbon holding a medal. "Commander Chakotay, it gives me the greatest of pleasure to award you the Starfleet Medal for Meritorious Service, for your unselfish bravery and gallantry, your willingness to sacrifice yourself, the ultimate sacrifice, to save the Captain of Voyager. Your act of bravery deserves more than this medal and detail in the ship's log, but it's all we can do at the moment." She leaned down and placed the ribbon around his neck, smiled and then kissed him on both cheeks, much to the delight of the crew and Chakotay's embarrassment.

As everyone clapped, Chakotay smiled and looking down at the medal gingerly fingered it. Looking up at Kathryn he grinned again. "Heck, if I knew I could get kissed by the Captain I would have risked my life long ago." After everyone stopped laughing he looked around the room. "Thank you all for your willingness to give up a year and come back for me. That's also the ultimate sacrifice and I thank you for it."

"Well," said the Doctor, "I really must get the Commander back to sick bay."

"Please doctor, can't he stay and at least eat?" asked Kathryn.

"Yeah, let the guy eat," said Tom.

The doctor reluctantly agreed to that much.

* * * * *

That evening Kathryn walked into Sick Bay and to Chakotay's bed. Looking down at his still form, her heart beat faster. She had almost lost this man. Sensing her presence, Chakotay turned his head and opened his eyes.

"Hi".

"Hi." She responded and looking around, spied a chair, retrieved it, then sat down. "How do you feel?"

"Have to admit getting into that chair and then that ceremony tired me out. Kathryn, I didn't deserve that medal. Why did you do it?"

"Because you did deserve it, Chakotay."

He shook his head. "I just wanted you to be safe."

Kathryn took hold of his hand, hesitated a minute then smiled. "I want you to know that I must have cursed you for an hour after you dove out of that shuttle, and then spent the next month crying about what you did."

Chakotay grinned. "I figured you would be mad."

"Mad doesn't even begin to cut it," she said with a laugh. "Even the fact I figured you had died in the fall didn't stop me from cursing you, and then later, I was so upset - I was so vehemently mad that I wasn't with you instead of being alone in that shuttle."

"We both would have died if you'd come back, as Tuvok would have kept going, so you see it worked out after all. I was right," he said with a chuckle.

Kathryn got serious. "I'm just glad you're alive and here on Voyager with me," she said in a husky voice as she squeezed his hand.

"So am I," he whispered as he looked longingly at her.

Kathryn swallowed as she looked at him, and then gave a small, child-like smile.

"Chakotay . . . you know nothing can happen between us as long as you and I are in charge of Voyager, but I just wanted to stop by tonight to not only see you and see how you are, but to tell you, unless you are totally against it, to watch out, because when we get back to Earth I will pursue you wherever you are until I catch you."

Chakotay stared at her a moment, then his eyes twinkled and a slow, mischievous smile spread across his face. "In that case, Kathryn, I best warn you now that I am slower than a Turtle when it comes to running."

Both broke into loud, joyous laughter, causing the Doctor to look up from his desk and roll his eyes.


The End
July 2000
Edited June 2006

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