Part X
Rated: M

By: AW

Disclaimer: I don't own the people or the episodes but the story is mine.

Chakotay sat in the prison cell. He had been shipped off to New Zealand. He had been scheduled to spend the next five years here, that would make him 60 by the time he got out.

He was done.

He had left the message for Harry and hoped he understood the seriousness of his request. He had messaged Harry and Tom.

Tom, he had told where to find him. He was too embarrassed to be put in front of his former subordinates at this point.

B'Elanna had been kept in the dark. She did know of what he had done, she didn't have a choice, it was all over the news channels.

But he had done what had to be done to ensure the safety of the Federation and a future for them all.

And so Tom had come.

"Hey old man, old habits die hard don't they?"

And so he had told Tom of everything. Of how hard it had been to let go of both Kathryn and Marissa. Of how the reason he had done what he had done was to stop the invasion that had started with Brenna Covington.

He had cried, in front of Tom Paris. He had finally let the flood gates open, and cried for all he had lost over the past year.

He had passed a message on to Harry to enter in the capsule that would one day, one time get to Kathryn, his Kathryn before everything changed.

He had told Tom of the reasons he had done what he had done. He had told Tom that if all went as it should be, The Paris' life should not be affected.

He hoped anyway...but if things went as they should, life would only be changed to the point where they were on Quarren.

But without Admiral Janeway, would they have the Borg technology that he needed and sought.

He looked to Tom. "Tom, you're a lieutenant Commander now, I need you to pursue the Borg technology that Admiral Janeway would have discovered had she lived through her whole life."

Tom looked at him suspiciously, "you're not thinking..."

"I need to Tom, I have to fix things."

Tom nodded his head, "I guess you have to do what you have to do, but you're stuck here for..."

"Five years at which point I'm gonna need your help."

Paris nodded his head. "Good thing I respect you the way I do."

Chakotay laughed, "Good thing."

He looked to Tom, "I was going to leave you and B'Elanna both out of it, but I need to make sure that Harry gets it right, and I have to make sure you help
him. You have to keep B'Elanna in the dark. She's been through so much recently with her trip to Boreth and the death of her mother, I just couldn't put her through any more stress and pain then she has to be." He paused, "And she missed so much time with little Miral, just give her this time to get reaquainted with the little tyke." Tom nodded. "Okay, but it won't be easy, you know how nosy and pigheaded she can be."

Chakotay almost chuckled, "I have a vague idea."

Tom just smiled. "Well, I've been here, it’s not that bad, just ride it out." He hesitated, "You did what you had to do Chakotay, whether anyone else believes it or not."

Chakotay watched as Paris parted his company, and he waited...he just hoped he lasted that long and still believed in what he had to do after everything.

TBC in part XI

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