Chakotay entered the day care center to see how things were going today.  He received daily reports from each shift as well as from the teachers of the older children, but he enjoyed checking out the center personally.  He didn’t get the chance to visit very often, but when he did, the children were delighted.  They knew he was on an “official” visit the moment he entered the room.

“Captain!”  The quickest to voice his pleasure was one of the youngest in the room.  His voice was lost in the chorus that followed.

“Tell us a story, Captain.”

”Yea, tell us a story!”

“A true story.”

“No, a legend.  I want to hear a legend.”

“Tell us how Voyager came to the Delta Quadrant!”

“No, I want a new story!”

“Yes, a new story, Commander.”  The chorus took up the chant for a new story.  Chakotay had hoped for a request for an old favorite, preferably one he could recite word for word just like the last 25 times he had told it.  A new story would challenge him.  Even a man with a legend for every circumstance eventually ran out of legends.  He searched his memory for any story the children had not heard as he crossed the room to a pile of cushions and pillows under a viewscreen.  This was the children’s listening corner and the cushions and pillows were very comfortable.

“A new story or legend.  Let me think a moment.  I don’t suppose the legend of the Angry Warrior would do?”

“No!” came the unanimous response. “We want a new story!”

“OK.  Everyone get comfortable.

“This is a legend among some of the people on Earth.  That’s the planet where a lot of your parents were born.  That’s the planet where my ancestors lived.  Even though it’s a legend from Earth, it could have happened on any planet.  So, listen, children, this story may have been written long ago, but it can still be important to you today.

“The story is about a kingdom set high on a mountain above a valley.  The kingdom held a very special treasure.  They had buried it under a stone high on the mountain.  The people of the kingdom valued this treasure above all else.  The people in the valley far below the kingdom knew about the treasure but they didn’t know what it was.  They felt as if they lived in the shadow of the mountain, while the mountain kingdom had all the sunlight and the treasure.  The people of the valley decided that if they couldn’t have the sunlight, they would have the treasure.

“The people in the valley discussed their plans, then sent a messenger up to the kingdom on the mountain to ask for the treasure.  They awaited the reply full of hope that they would be given the treasure.  The people of the mountain kingdom said they would willingly share the treasure with the people of the valley.  This made the people of the valley very angry.  They wanted the whole treasure for themselves; they did not want to share it with the people of the kingdom.

“In their anger, the people of the valley attacked the people on the mountain.  They rode up the mountain on their horses with their swords drawn to fight the people of the kingdom.  When the fighting ended, the valley people looked around.  They had killed all the people of the kingdom.

“'The treasure is ours!' they shouted.  They rushed to the stone that showed where the treasure was buried and turned it over.  Under the stone was another flat stone with words carved on it.  The valley people read the words and were saddened by what they learned.  The words on the stone simply said PEACE ON EARTH.  The people of the valley had given up the treasure never knowing they had it until it was gone.  One by one, the soldiers from the valley rode away, leaving the stone in place for others to read and share.”

Chakotay wasn’t sure how the children would respond to the story, but their solemn attention let him know that they understood at least some of the meaning.  At last, one of the younger children spoke.

“Captain, I don’t understand what the treasure was.  What did those words mean?

“That’s a very good question, Molly.  Can anyone help her?”

“Well, Earth is the planet where the story started.”

“Oh!  Peace is when it’s quiet and everybody is happy and being good.”

“Peace is when Mom isn’t mad about the warp core not working.”  Tom and B’Elanna’s youngest piped up.  Chakotay chuckled.

“What else can keep it from being peaceful?”

“Well, when we get into a fight here it’s not quiet and we aren’t being good, are we?”

“No, fighting is not a good idea and you’re right that it keeps it from being peaceful.”

“I’m not happy if my friends are sick or get hurt.  Can that make peace go away?”

“Very good.  Yes, if our friends are sick or hurt, we have trouble feeling peaceful.  Molly, do you understand what the treasure was yet?”

“Well, I think it meant everybody lived quiet happy lives and nobody was fighting with anyone else.  Is that right?”

“I think that says it very well, Molly.”

“What does the story mean, Captain?”

“Well, Jason, the story means whatever you understand it to mean.  Maybe some of you have some ideas to help all of us understand what the story means now that we know what the treasure was.”

“The people in the valley didn’t know they already had the treasure.  They didn’t know ‘peace’ was a treasure.”

“Everybody was happy until the valley people wanted the treasure.  Then everyone was unhappy.”

“When they got selfish they lost the treasure.”

“Yea, when they got into a fight everyone ended up dead or unhappy and there wasn’t a treasure any more.”

The discussion continued with lots of insights that only children can bring to grown up stories.  Chakotay was as amazed as he always was at how well the children accepted stories about planets with hills, mountains, oceans and horses when most of them had never been on a planet.  Finally, Chakotay realized that over an hour had passed and Tom was expecting him to discuss crew evaluations yet again.

“Listen, everyone.  Maybe Ensign Hofer will help you finish your discussion.  I have to get going.  You know how I expect you all to be on time for dinner and school?  Well, I have to be on time for meetings and if I don’t go very soon, I will be late.  That wouldn’t be good, would it?”

“No.”

“No, Captain.”

“If you’re late, does Captain Kathryn send you to bed without your supper?”

“Silly, she couldn’t do that.  He’d just go eat in the mess hall.  She’d just make him write a report saying he wouldn’t be late ever again!”

Chakotay chuckled at the children’s comments as he left the room.  They really put his life in perspective about the most unexpected things.  Voyager was truly a lucky ship.
 

In case you were wondering, a song inspired this legend.

ONE TIN SOLDIER
(The Legend of Billy Jack)
words and music by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter
Copyright © 1969 by ABC / Dunhill Music, Inc.
 

Listen children to a story that was written long ago
  'bout a kingdom on a mountain and the valley folk below.
On the mountain was a treasure buried deep beneath a stone,
  and the valley people swore they'd have it for their very own.

      Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend.
      Do it in the name of heaven, justify it in the end.
      There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day.
      On the bloody morning after one tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley sent a message up the hill
  asking for the buried treasure, tons of gold for which they'd kill.
Came an answer from the kingdom: "With our brothers we will share
  all the secrets of our mountain, all the riches buried there."

      Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend.
      Do it in the name of heaven, justify it in the end.
      There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day.
      On the bloody morning after one tin soldier rides away.

Now the valley cried with anger; mount your horses, draw your sword,
  and they killed the mountain people, so they won their just reward.
Now they stood beside the treasure on the mountain, dark and red,
  turned the stone and looked beneath it. "Peace on earth" was all it said.

      Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend.
      Do it in the name of heaven, justify it in the end.
      There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day.
      On the bloody morning after one tin soldier rides away.