Chapter Text
“It really has been wonderful, having you all aboard,” Kathryn Janeway said, addressing the group of humanoids in her Ready Room. They were a tall species, broad-shouldered with pale skin and fair hair and a deep ridge down the center of their foreheads. “We’ll be arriving at Tauronus III shortly. I have my crew preparing landing procedures and other last-minute calculations. Is there anything else you need before I go?”
“Captain, if I may?” The tallest of the group, a man named Eltis, spoke up. “As Head of Parliament, I’d like to organize a dinner to thank the crew of Voyager. A ball of sorts. Dinner, dancing. The Tauronian government is in your debt for all that you did. After all, you did rescue us from what was likely certain death.”
“It’s really not necessary,” Kathryn said. “We were all glad to be of service.”
“That may be so but it is a custom of our people to thank those who help us. And it has already been planned, Captain. Tomorrow evening, you and your crew are all invited to a feast celebrating our homecoming. I’ll need the measurements of all crew as we’ll be providing traditional Tauronian dress for the occasion.”
“That’s very kind. Are you sure…”
“My dear Captain, you have already refused most of the things I have offered in exchange for your kindness. Please, at least allow me to do this for you.”
“All right, you’ve talked me into it.” She threw up her hands. “You’re very persuasive.”
“Most of the time.”
He smiled at her and she smiled back. Their relationship the past three weeks had bordered on flirtatious but Kathryn had made sure it never slipped over that line. She’d be lying if she said he wasn’t attractive but he would be staying on Tauronus III and, in three short days, she and the rest of the crew would be making their way back to the Alpha Quadrant. She wasn’t interested in a one-night stand with anyone, no matter how handsome they were.
“I’ll make the announcement to my crew. I’m sure they’d love some shore leave. Thank you.” Kathryn nodded at the group and then headed back out to the bridge.
Some shore leave might be good for all of us.
The last few months had been fraught with tension between the captain and her crew. First, there was the incident with B’Elanna and the Holographic Medical Consultant that turned out to be the embodiment of a Cardassian war criminal. Then there was Tom Paris’ subsequent demotion and thirty days in the brig. At present, Kathryn Janeway wasn’t terribly popular among her crew.
“Status report, Mr. Tuvok.”
“Captain, we will arrive at Tauronus III in approximately fifty-seven minutes. The planet is a Class M planet with an atmosphere quite similar to that of Earth. It should be a relatively simple endeavor to land Voyager on the planet,” Tuvok informed her. “Minister Eltis has also sent a subspace message ahead to his people informing them of our arrival.”
That was a relief. She knew Tom could land the ship just about anywhere but she really didn’t want another rough landing. An easy landing, followed by a party sounded like a much better option than fixing whatever they broke after nearly crash-landing on yet another inhospitable planet with people firing weapons at them. “Thank you, Mr. Tuvok.” She took her seat next to Chakotay, beginning to feel a pinprick of anxiety nagging at the back of her skull. She couldn’t put her finger on it but she could feel it in her bones that something was bound to go wrong. This was the Delta Quadrant; things were never this easy.
The landing was uneventful, and Kathryn breathed a sigh of relief as she, Chakotay and the Tauronians beamed off the ship and onto the solid ground below without any phaser fire or other disasters befalling them.
“Hello, I’m Prime Minister Cartik.” An older Tauronian man said, smiling widely at Kathryn and Chakotay. “I am very grateful for all that you have done for my people. There are many preparations to be made for the feast tomorrow. Many. However, Minister Eltis has assured me that he has it all under control.”
“I told him he needn’t make a fuss,” Kathryn said, uncomfortable with the attention she was getting. “We were glad to help, truly.”
“Nonsense. It is Tauronian custom to break bread with friends. And friends you are,” the Prime Minister smiled, gripping Kathryn’s hands first, then Chakotay’s. “I will be sending some traditional Tauronian dress to your ship along with the coordinates to the feast.”
“Thank you, Prime Minister,” Chakotay said, smiling awkwardly. Kathryn could tell he was just as uncomfortable as she was.
“Yes, thank you very much, Prime Minister.”
“It is nothing. Nothing at all,” he assured them. “If there is anything you need, let Minister Eltis know. He will gladly be of assistance for the next few days.”
“Absolutely,” Eltis said with a smile. “It is always an honor to serve the lovely Captain Janeway and her crew.”
“Thank you both, very much,” Kathryn said, wanting nothing more than to be back on Voyager. “But I really do need to get back to my ship. There are a few things I need to check on and I still need to make the announcements to the crew. They don’t even know about the feast yet.”
“Then you may go back to your ship, prepare what you must. We will see you tomorrow evening,” the Prime Minister said, nodding his head to the Captain and Commander. “Until then.”
“Until then.”
The crew had reacted in predictable fashion when Kathryn had mentioned the upcoming two days of shore leave. Suddenly, it was like being in charge of a ship of teenaged cadets rather than the seasoned Starfleet crew she’d become used to. She couldn’t be too angry with them, though. They’d all gone through so much it was hard to fault them for being excited. Still, the nagging anxiety in her mind persisted, though. She supposed she’d been in the Delta Quadrant too long. She was always expecting the worst.
A chime at her door startled her from her reverie and she shook her head slightly before announcing, “Come in!”
“Captain, the tailor is here. He’s brought everyone an outfit. Here’s yours.” Tom Paris handed her the package and then nodded before leaving. She felt a pang of sadness at how things had deteriorated between her and her crew. She’d have to find a way to fix this. But, for now, she was going to see what exactly “Traditional Tauronian Dress” consisted of.
She opened the package and pulled out a shimmery, dark blue fabric. The sleeves looked to be about elbow-length and the skirt down to her knees. It felt like the softest silk and was interwoven with fine silver thread that made it sparkle like the midnight sky. Kathryn had to admit that it might be the most beautiful dress she’d ever seen. She then pulled out the accompanying shoes. They were high-heeled and made of a fine material that was likely native to Tauronus III. Silver and bejeweled, the straps were shaped into a floral pattern that was absolutely stunning. She briefly wondered how the rest of the crew were enjoying their gifts.
She supposed she’d find out in a few hours and she went back to finishing the reports that had languished on her desk for the past few days. If she was going to go out, she was damn well going to finish her reports first. After all, it wouldn’t set a very good example for the rest of the crew if she shirked her responsibilities just to have a night off.
Reports finished, Kathryn took her dress and shoes back to her quarters to prepare for the evening ahead. She put on her dress and then looking into the mirror with a sigh. She hadn’t done her hair and makeup, at least not anything above the minimum, for quite some time. Well, no time like the present.
She pulled out her hairbrush and styling gel, deciding she’d start with her hair. There wasn’t much she could do with it at the length it was, but she brushed it and pinned one side behind her ear, leaving the other side to hang in loose waves. Then she got set with the makeup, deciding to go with a natural look. Once she was satisfied, she took a seat on her couch and slid on the shoes before pinning her combadge on her chest.
She tried to quell the anxiety that once more threatened the edges of her mind. She couldn’t understand what was wrong with her. There was no danger that she could see. She had definitely been in the Delta Quadrant too long. She took a deep breath and left her quarters, running directly into someone.
“Commander, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there,” Kathryn said, feeling rather silly that she had walked out of her quarters without watching where she was going.
“It’s all right. No harm done.” Chakotay smiled. “You look lovely, Kathryn.”
“Thank you. You don’t look too bad, yourself.” She smiled back at him. It was the truth. The shirt he wore was a deep red, interwoven with golden thread. The pants may have been plain black but he wore them well and he really did look rather dashing.
“Well, shall we?” Kathryn nodded and they went towards the turbolift, meeting up with Tom and B’elanna.
Kathryn felt suddenly awkward, though they’d all been friends for years. She wasn’t exactly sorry for the things she’d done but she was sorry for the way she’d done them. She wasn’t sure how she could have done anything differently but she still felt the guilt clawing at her.
“B’elanna, you look nice,” Chakotay said, smiling at his friend. She really did. The dark green dress she wore was lovely on her, the bronze threading that shimmered in the fabric a near perfect match to her hair. She looked stunning.
“You do look lovely, B’elanna,” Kathryn said, offering a small smile.
“Thank you, Captain.” The response was stiff but it was something at least. Kathryn was relieved when they got to the transporter pad and the sequence was initiated.
The Tauronians knew how to throw a party, Kathryn would give them that. But after two hours, she desperately wanted some quiet. She could feel the pressure building behind her eyes and the two glasses of wine had clearly been a mistake given the impending headache she felt coming on. She briefly wondered if she could excuse herself from the festivities early when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“My dear Captain, are you quite alright?” She looked up to see Eltis’ concerned face. “You look as though you are in pain.”
“Just a slight headache. I’ll be fine,” Kathryn said, trying to force a smile. It must not have been convincing because Eltis just shook his head.
“This will not do. I will take you somewhere quiet and get your EMH. He is around here somewhere,” Eltis said, helping her stand up. He led her out of the hall and through a small corridor. After a few turns, they stopped at a door.
“Where is this?”
“It is the library,” Eltis explained. “This late, no one will be in here. It will be quiet and peaceful. I will get you settled and then I will find your EMH.”
“Wait a minute, I can just use my combadge,” Kathryn said, feeling rather foolish. “Janeway to the Doctor. Why isn’t it working?”
“The stone in this building tends to disrupt many other worlds’ communication devices,” Eltis said with a shrug. “I will get you settled in and then go find your EMH.” He led her into the library and closed the door quietly before turning on only the lowest lights. “Are you all right?”
“I feel a little dizzy,” Kathryn admitted. “I guess I’m not used to drinking anything that isn’t coffee.”
“That’s all right. There’s a couch right here,” he said, maneuvering Kathryn onto middle cushion before taking a seat next to her. “Are you sure you’ll be all right by yourself?”
She nodded. “A hypospray and I’ll be good as new.”
“I hate seeing such a wonderful woman in pain,” he said, placing a hand on her cheek. “You are truly special, Kathryn Janeway.” He began pulling her towards him and she suddenly felt the klaxons going off in her head.
“Eltis, this can’t happen,” she said, trying to pull away from him.
“Why not? We both want this,” he said, pulling her face towards his. “Just let this happen.”
“No,” she said, trying to struggle against him as he forced a kiss to her lips. He began forcing her backwards onto the couch and she could do nothing as she felt her head spin unpleasantly. Her small frame was no match against his large mass and she could feel tears well in her eyes as he slipped his hands beneath the bodice of her dress and fondled her breasts. “Please don’t do this.”
“Just lay back and enjoy this, Kathryn. It will be much more pleasant that way,” he said, his hands moving down her body. He began to shove her skirt up and out of the way and she tried to kick him but her blows seemed to have as much effect as a mouse on a large cat. He slipped his hand underneath her underwear and she felt shame color her face as she realized she was wet. “See, I told you that you wanted this too.” He pushed her underwear down and unzipped his trousers. She could tell, even in the low light, that he was hard.
“Please stop.” She had never begged for anything in her life but she desperately didn’t want this to happen. She felt sick and dizzy, and she just wanted to go back to Voyager. Her plea went unheeded, and she felt the tears slip from her eyes as he entered her. This can’t be happening.
Kathryn awakened to a headache and a soreness between her thighs and then the terrible realization that the previous night’s events had been a reality and not some horrible, alcohol-induced nightmare settled in, and she felt the contents of her stomach coming back up. She vomited over the edge of the couch and felt panic begin to overtake her. She didn’t even know what time it was. She didn’t even really remember how she got to this room. She could feel her breath beginning to speed up and she knew that she had to take some deep breaths. She couldn’t afford to have a panic attack in this room. He might come back and she couldn’t let that happen a second time.
She stood up on shaky limbs and pulled her underwear up and her skirt back down, trying to look as normal as possible before leaving the room. She tried to remember the way back to the hall and, thankfully, only got lost once before making it back.
The hall was empty and she wasn’t surprised. One rotation of Tauronus III was approximately 27 hours and it had been full dark when she had stumbled into the library with that- At any rate, the sun was peeking over the horizon and she was certain that no one had missed that she had not returned to Voyager the previous evening.
She felt a deep sense of shame as she walked into the morning air and hit her combadge. “Janeway to Voyager, one to beam up.”