by Dakota

"Who is she to make these choices for us?"

"She's the captain."

The words replayed through Kathryn Janeway's mind as she sat at her desk. The question represented nearly a third of the people on her ship; the answer represented the rest. She stood and walked to the replicator.

"Coffee, black." She tasted the coffee – not hot enough but it would do. The replicator was the least of her worries right now. She wandered over to her couch and sat down. She was a captain with a problem. A problem? She smiled wryly. Talk about understatement. A problem was having the turbolifts go off line during shift change. A problem was running out of coffee at breakfast. A problem was being dragged out of bed to deal with personnel disputes in the middle of your sleep shift. That had been the one thing she'd liked least about being a ship's first officer but that was behind her.

She was a captain with a young crew, an inexperienced crew. Her most senior officer was still a lieutenant. She had no doctor, no medical staff, no chief engineer, no helmsman with more than a year's experience, her ship was more than seventy-five years from the nearest Federation space dock or supply station, and a third of the people on board were supposed to be her prisoners. Had she forgotten anything? Oh, yes, she had already made an enemy, an enemy with many ships and unknown resources who wanted her ship and all its technology.

Kathryn Janeway stood and deposited her cup in the recycler before returning to her desk. One of the first things she'd learned as an officer was to deal with those problems you could solve. There was one problem that she could solve now – more prisoners than she could house in her brig. She wouldn't try. They'd have to use crew quarters and that meant she didn't have enough security personnel to guard them for one shift much less during all three, so they would not be under guard. There was no point in even formally arresting them. One problem solved.

She needed additional staff. She had Maquis, some with the training to fill in for those who had been killed. It only made sense to assign them duties while they were on Voyager. While they were on Voyager. How long would that be? Would they be willing to accept the orders of her officers? Would they be willing to accept her as captain of the ship? She leaned her head on her left hand and rubbed her temples. Questions, so many questions. She had no answers but one man might. 

But he was the biggest question. He had more experience in Starfleet than any of her officers. He commanded the Maquis and had already earned the respect, if not the trust, of many of her officers during their adventure with the Ocampa not to mention his voluntary destruction of the Maquis ship to protect Voyager. He had supported her as captain when she destroyed the array but how long would that support last? She sighed and tapped a button on her console. "Locate Captain Chakotay."

"Captain Chakotay is in the mess hall."

Until Kathryn Janeway knew what the captain of the Maquis ship would do, making any more decisions would be pointless. She tapped another button on her console.

"Tuvok."

"Yes, Captain."

"Have someone find some empty crew quarters for the Maquis. We'll sort out permanent housing later." She paused, slightly reluctant to confront the captain of the Maquis until she had more answers, but only he could give her those answers. "And have someone ask Captain Chakotay to come to my ready room."

"Aye, Captain." Tuvok's voice responded before the channel closed.

Kathryn Janeway sat a minute at her desk growing more nervous about the coming conversation. She stood and walked to the replicator then just stared at it. Could they afford the energy drain to continue using the replicators so freely? She'd have to talk to the engineering staff. The chime sounded.

"Come." She heard the door slide open and turned to meet the eyes of the Maquis captain.

"You wanted to see me, Captain?" The words slid off his tongue from years of experience. He oozed confidence and a calm hint of defiance came rushing at her from the tilt of his head.

"I did. Would you like something to drink?"

"Water will be fine."

She looked at him a moment then turned to the replicator. "Coffee, black. Water, chilled." She picked up the glass and the cup and walked back to her desk. "Please, sit down." She set his glass on the edge of the desk before going around to sit down in her chair. She sipped her coffee while he crossed the room and sat down.

"You need my help." It was clearly a statement. 

Kathryn Janeway barely controlled her initial reaction, which was to end the meeting. Instead, she calmly set her cup down and waited until she had regained control.

"Is that an offer?"

He studied her from across the table. "No. Just a simple summary of your situation."

"What exactly is the situation as you see it?"

"You're seventy thousand light years from the nearest Federation facility. You can't carry out your orders to arrest my crew and me. You barely have enough crew to run your ship and it will take you weeks to complete the repairs to your engineering systems alone. You lost most of your senior officers, all of your medical staff, and the rest of your crew is green and inexperienced. You have nearly forty people on this ship who consider you their enemy." He stared at her a long moment. "Like I said, you need my help."

Kathryn Janeway nodded her head slowly as he made each point. "You agreed with my decision to destroy the array. I need to know how long you're willing to accept my decisions."

"I supported your decision. I never said I agreed with it." He calmly corrected her. "I'll decide about future decisions as I learn what they are."

So, his support wasn't unconditional. She had to know exactly how conditional it was, whether he was going to challenge her for command. "I'll be blunt. Are you going to try to take over my ship?"

"I thought about it. Most of my people have urged me to take command."

"You don't have enough people."

"I'm confident that I could take control even outnumbered as we are. But it would be pointless. Even if I put your entire crew off the ship with the Ocampa, I'd have the same problem you do – not enough people to operate the ship. Which brings us back to my original statement. You need my help… unless you'd rather turn command over to me."

For a brief, very fleeting, second, Kathryn Janeway remembered her days as a first officer and the comfort that came from knowing there was always one other person to turn to for advice, guidance or the final decision. She shoved that memory aside. She had worked too hard, too long, given up too many things to earn her own command. She wasn't giving it up now. And she wasn't going to hand it over to some cocky renegade no matter how charming. But he was right about one thing – she needed his help. "What are you offering?"

"I'll get my crew to work for you in areas of their expertise and to accept the instructions of those in supervisory capacities. In return, you'll treat them with respect and provide them comparable quarters and schedules as your crew. We'll all have the same access to ship's resources like the replicator, holodeck, medical treatment, and mess hall privileges."

"What about you?"

"I'm sure you'll find something for me to do to occupy my time, Captain." The captain snapped her eyes to meet his. Something in his tone made it clear that he wasn't talking solely about his duties on the ship. His eyes supported her interpretation and she felt her reaction spread through her body. She knew with complete certainty that he was dangerous to her but not her command.

"I already have someone locating quarters for your people. Consider them temporary until we have time to sort out which quarters are now available. Tell your crew to get cleaned up and to replicate a change of clothing. Please ask them to limit their use of the replicator to necessary items for now. I'm sure some of them could use some sleep."

"And my quarters, Captain?" Damn! Those brown eyes bore into hers seeking her soul. For a moment, she was trapped by his gaze. His question turned into a suggestion, an all too tempting suggestion, a suggestion that had no place in her life. Regret flashed and broke his spell.

"For now, you'll have to use the temporary quarters. I lost a lot of good men and women. It will take a few days to clear their quarters and pack their things away. I'll probably also be moving some of my crew around."

Chakotay nodded and stood to leave.

"One last thing, Captain." He stopped and turned back when she spoke.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Tom Paris."

Chakotay nodded. "I've already made it clear that no one is to hurt him. Let me know if he has any problems and I'll deal with it personally."

"Thank you."

Chakotay walked out the door. As the door slid closed behind him, a single word echoed across the room. "Dismissed."

Kathryn Janeway sat at her desk considering the situation on her ship. On the bright side, there had been no fights or brawls between her crew and the Maquis for the last twelve hours. Unfortunately, she admitted it was most likely because the Maquis has spent a sizeable percentage of those hours asleep. Familiarizing themselves with their temporary quarters had probably taken up a fair number of the remaining hours.

She had managed to get some information on their energy reserves. For the moment, the reserves were adequate but if they continued using the replicators at the present rate, they would have serious problems down the road. But that was a problem for tomorrow. There were other more immediate ones confronting her today, most notably repairs and assigning people to fill the positions of those who had died. She called up a list of her crew and started sorting them by training and experience.

Her entire medical staff, small as it had been, had been killed. She started her search for people with any medical training at all. No one, not a single person with even a hint of medical training. She sighed and changed the search parameters.

She had broadened her search for the third time when the chime sounded.

"Come."

Expecting it to be Tuvok she didn’t look up until a pile of clothes landed under her nose.

"There seems to be a slight problem with the replicators, Captain."

She looked up to see Chakotay towering over her desk. He was definitely not flirting. He was not friendly. In fact, he appeared downright hostile. Despite his demeanor, she felt herself react to him. She pushed those thoughts aside; she had enough problems without creating more for herself.

"I'll add it to the list of repairs."

"Don't bother. They are functioning properly… if you call producing a Starfleet uniform with no jacket functioning properly."

"No jacket?" Kathryn Janeway was definitely puzzled. "I don't understand."

"It's bad enough the only thing we can get are uniforms, but the damned things won't give any of my people a uniform jacket. It asks for a department, and then informs us that we are not listed in that department and spews out pants and a turtleneck, even boots, but no jacket." Chakotay's eyes glared with anger. "My people already feel like outsiders and this isn't helping. You'd have been better off not providing them access to any clothing."

"I'll deal with it as soon as I know which departments your people are best suited to join." She wasn't going to apologize. "Thank you for bringing it to my attention. If you give me a list of your crew with their area of expertise, I'll try to get to it this afternoon."

"That's not good enough."

"It's the best I can do." She sighed and felt the headache she had been managing to ignore for the last hour start to demand attention. "I don't have a first officer. I'm dealing with things as quickly as I can and to be blunt, your crew's lack of jackets is far from the top of my priority list right now."

Chakotay's anger faded. "It's not the jackets; it's what they represent. Do you have any idea how long it took me to get them to accept wearing a 'fleet uniform? Almost three hours last night. Three hours of arguing with forty of my friends, telling them they'd be given a fair chance on this ship. Then when they all try to get a uniform they discover they aren't even recognized by the computer yet.

"I'm trying to make this work, Kathryn, but you're not making it easy." His use of her name sent a rush of heat flowing through her body. The soft, mellow tones soothed her nerves and the throbbing in her head took on a new meaning. She glanced at his eyes. Damn! It was exactly the response he had wanted. She refused to let it affect her decisions.

"I don't have the time to assign nearly forty people to various departments. I don’t even know yet which departments need additional staff the most." Kathryn Janeway was determined not to put every little complaint from this man at the top of her priority list.

"Then put them all in engineering until you decide. You can reassign them later. In the meantime they can all help with repairs even if it's only carrying tools around for someone else."

"All right. Get me a list of your people and I'll add them to engineering."

He extended a hand containing a padd. "It has all I know about them including their training and experience."

The captain quickly scanned the padd, and then transferred its contents to the main computer. "Computer, add the individuals on this list to the engineering staff and authorize uniforms for them all."

"Information is incomplete. Unable to comply."

"Override information requirements."

"The specified individuals have been added to the engineering staff."

Kathryn Janeway looked at Chakotay. "Is there anything else?"

"I want to know where I fit into your plans." He sat down in the chair without her permission and leaned back.

"Where do you think you should fit in?" Damn! That was not the best way to phrase that question.

"I have over twenty years in Starfleet and more years in command of my own ship than you do."

Leave it to him to know exactly how long she had been a captain. Well, he might have more experience, but she had the ship and the authorization codes. It was her ship and it was staying her ship. Kathryn Janeway shook her head slowly but decisively. He nodded once, accepting her decision.

"Then where?"

"I need a personnel officer, someone to handle housing and duty assignments."

"I'm sure you know I'm an expert tactician, not a paper pusher."

"I already have a tactical officer." She studied him across the desk. How far could she trust him? Did it matter? If she couldn't trust him completely, they had no chance of making it back to Earth. She had to give at least the impression of trust. It wouldn't be enough for the long journey, but it would be enough for now. "I need an executive officer."

"You mean a first officer?" He challenged her with his eyes but not his voice. "Or a token position with no real authority?"

"Real authority, real responsibilities, and real accountability... to me."

"How do you know your crew will accept me?"

"They'll have no choice. Our circumstances warrant me using my authority to grant field commissions. As a lieutenant commander, you'd outrank most of my crew."

"What about my people? Will you give them field commissions?"

"If they earn them, yes."

"If they earn them?" Chakotay stood and placed both hands on the desk, leaning forward to stare in her eyes. "They'd be forever at the bottom of the list if you do that. They are just as qualified as most of your crew and some of them are better than anyone you have. I'll not be the token Maquis officer just to keep my crew in line."

"What other choice do you have?" She stood to challenge his unspoken threat. She was only eye level with him as he leaned across her desk. Might did not make right. She was not going to be intimidated by him. "Do you want me to let you all off at the next convenient planet? Even if my orders didn't prohibit me doing that, I wouldn't anyway. I don't have the supplies to leave you and you'd never survive without them."

Chakotay relaxed. "Then give my crew field commissions based on their abilities and experience. Some of them have a lot to offer and can fill in the gaps in your staffing. Others don't have the training to be more than crewmen but they'd all know you made your decision based on their abilities."

"I suppose you have recommendations?"

"No, but I can get them to you after lunch, if that's acceptable."

"I'm surprised you didn't have that ready to give me, too." Kathryn Janeway commented. She had not intended to speak out loud but it was too late. She had slipped up.

Chakotay grinned. "I didn't think I'd make this much progress this morning."

"Here I thought I was the one making progress." That grin was almost her undoing. He had dimples. Why hadn't she noticed them before? How could she have missed them? She smiled slightly. "So, are you willing to accept the position of first officer?"

"Let me think about it. I'll tell you after we go over my recommendations after lunch."

"Join me in here for lunch and we can go over the list while we eat." Damn! What was she thinking? Scratch that. She wasn’t thinking. A private lunch with the man she was sent to arrest was not a good idea. She scanned his face. The danger had nothing to do with his being Maquis.

"You sure you want to let both groups alone in the mess hall that long?"

"They have to learn to get along without us sooner or later. It may as well be sooner. I'll alert security to warn all the hotheads on my crew if you'll do the same for yours." If she didn't get him out of here soon, she'd be issuing invitations that were far worse for her command than a simple lunch. She looked back at her desk. "I have a lot of work to do so if you don't mind…."

"Not at all, Captain. I'll see you at 13:00 hours for lunch."

After the door closed, the captain stared at it for a minute or two. "Computer, access the file for Chakotay and change his department to 'command'."

"Record revised."

The captain nodded and turned back to the list of personnel who might be suitable for the medical department but it was a long time before brown eyes and a dimpled grin faded from her mind.

Kathryn Janeway jerked her head up from the computer terminal covered with statistics on fuel consumption, power drains, and footnotes explaining why the Intrepid class ships might experience significant deviations from projections and estimates. The chime sounded again. She checked the time -- it was 12:59. She made one last note and turned off the terminal.

"Come." It was 13:00 exactly. She sighed and stood up shaking her head. She couldn't play games with this man for the next seventy years. They had to come to a true agreement, not just a compromise.

As Chakotay crossed the room, she noticed he had changed his clothing. Now he wore uniform pants, boots and a standard issue black tee shirt. His eyes challenged her to comment. Trying not to stare, she scanned his form. If he wanted to wear that tee shirt for the next seventy years, she wouldn’t complain. If he hid that chest and those arms under a uniform, well…. She forced herself back to their lunch.

"I thought I'd have soup and salad. Do you have a preference for your lunch?"

"That will do just fine."

"Water again?"

"Iced tea if you don't mind."

She nodded and walked over to the replicator. She felt his eyes on her back as she walked. She felt them running up and down her body after she gave their order to the computer. Did he know how she was reacting? Did he do this with every woman? She forced that thought aside and tried to convince herself that it didn't matter. When the food appeared, she carried it toward her desk on a tray. "It's easier to eat at my desk than on the coffee table. Unless you'd prefer to use the briefing room?"

"Your desk is fine." Chakotay walked over and sat down leaving her standing with the tray. She quashed back a comment about manners and rank, and set the tray down before taking her seat. He smiled slightly and reached for his food and glass. She watched him move each item off the tray and waited to see what he would do next. He looked at her. "Aren't you joining me, Captain?"

He was playing games with her again, making it clear that he was not a member of her crew. "Yes, of course." She reached for her food and picked up her fork.

He nodded slightly as he picked up his fork. While he was eating, he pushed a padd across the desk. "There are my recommendations for departments and ranks for each of my people."

Kathryn Janeway reached for the padd, then loaded it to her terminal and called it up on her monitor. She scanned it while mentally comparing it to the list of needed crew. Chakotay continued to eat in silence while she studied the list. She should have been able to complete her initial review in a few minutes but she had trouble concentrating. She knew every move he made. He finished his soup, stood and took the bowl to the recycler then requested another bowl from the replicator. She resented his calm familiarity but took advantage of the opportunity to study his back. He sat down and picked up his spoon. Just before putting it in his mouth, he glanced up and caught her watching him. She felt herself flushing and turned back to the monitor, forcing her attention on the list. Not quite trusting her memory to have the exact numbers, she called up the list of positions she needed to fill. Finally, she turned the monitor so they could both see it.

"There are way too many engineers. We'll have to put at least four of them in Ops instead." Thank goodness. Her voice didn't crack.

"Any of those I listed as crewmen in Engineering would do fine in Ops." His calm acceptance of the change was unnerving. She had expected him to insist.

"I need routine maintenance people. We were not fully staffed when we left DS9 and that was one area that was barely manned. Quite a few of those in engineering will be doing that work most of the time. It's not glamorous but it's important work. Is that going to be a problem?"

"It shouldn't be."

She nodded. "Good. You don't have anyone listed for the sciences. Why is that?"

"There wasn't a high demand for biologists and theoretical physicists in the Maquis. I might have someone with some general training but the subject never came up."

"I could use at least four more people in the sciences."

"I'll ask but don't get your hopes up." His voice told her he thought it was a waste of his time.

"I would have thought you'd have had more pilots on your ship. You only have two listed."

"I lost two of my best and I handled the helm most of the time I was on my bridge. I didn't have the luxury of a large crew like you do."

"You have three people listed for security." She paused a moment. He had given reasonable answers to her questions so far. She wondered how he would handle this next comment. "There are those who would say that's putting the fox in charge of guarding the henhouse."

"There are half a dozen others who are qualified but if those three foxes say they'll protect the hens, they will. The others might not."

"Will they follow Tuvok's orders?"

"If they have a problem with any orders, they'll tell him."

"Will they have a problem with Tuvok?"

"No. They're the ones I told to keep an eye on things in the mess hall today."

"All right. If there are any problems, they can be reassigned." She agreed. She was encouraged. They had held a short discussion and she had not been distracted by his eyes or smile. She had asked questions and received answers. "That leaves one person who isn't on this list."

She stared at him, knowing he knew she was referring to him.

"What department do you think you should be assigned?"

"You seem to have made that decision already." She knew her expression remained unchanged but she felt herself relax slightly. He clearly knew that she had him slotted for command.

"I offered you the position of first officer."

"I haven't accepted yet."

"I'm an optimist." She needed him as first officer and he knew it. She wasn't going to beg but she also wasn't going to accept "no" as his answer. He stared at her but she refused to look away. 

Finally, he nodded his head slightly. "We haven't discussed the ranks of my people." He adroitly changed the subject back to his crew.

"I want to consider that in more detail plus I'd like to get to know them and see how they interact with my crew."

"You can't put it off indefinitely."

"I don't think a day or two is asking them to wait too long. Your people will have a few days to start learning our routine and it will give my crew a chance to get used to your crew's presence. It will be a lot easier for everyone if they've worked together a few days and know they are capable before the commissions are announced."

"A few days then." Chakotay agreed. His smile was a bit smug. He was truly irritating. He hadn't expected her to act that quickly. Now he would think he was the one making the decisions, pushing all the right buttons to get what he wanted. She couldn't change her mind but she could let him know she recognized what he was trying to do.

"You'd have been happy with a week wouldn't you?"

"Does it matter?"

His refusal to answer her question finally made Kathryn react. "Look, like it or not, we're in this together. If we're to have any chance of getting back to the Alpha Quadrant, you and I have to work together and trust each other. We don't have the luxury of playing games." She paused and watched his face for a moment. "Now, where were we?"

"You're right… about me being happy with a week and about working together. You'll have to take my word for it that I am aware of the pressures and constraints on your time. I wouldn't press you for decisions if I didn’t think it would make the transition easier for everyone."

"That's why I'm doing my best to respond to your requests but I won't be rushed to make decisions too quickly."

"Then you understand why I want more time to consider the position you offered me."

"And you understand why I need your answer very soon." She was unwilling to concede a point without making him concede a similar one.

He stood up, carried his dishes to the recycler and walked toward the door without a word. Just before it opened, he spoke without turning to face her. "I'll let you know before end of Alpha Shift today."

Kathryn Janeway paced her ready room. She reached her desk and turned and walked down the steps to the table, circled it twice then back to the steps to stop at her desk. That was her third circuit in the last five minutes. She looked at the terminal for the time – 13:55. Alpha shift ended in five minutes. She walked back to the replicator but this time she stopped and ordered a fresh cup of coffee. It wouldn't help her nerves but it would give her something to do with her hands. She paced back to her desk and set the cup down without drinking.

Five minutes before the end of Alpha Shift. Five minutes before the Maquis captain had said he would either accept or reject her offer. Five minutes before she had a first officer… or five minutes before she had a big problem, a very big problem. If he turned down her offer, it meant… what did it mean? Would he oppose her outright? Would he simply sit back and watch what developed? Would he ask his crew to accept Starfleet methods but remain a civilian? Would he ask to leave the ship?

What would she do? Kathryn Janeway sighed, whether from frustration or despair she wasn't sure. She didn't have any idea what Chakotay might do if he turned down her offer but she did know that she had no idea what she would do. She needed his crew and that meant she needed him. He was the key. She knew beyond any doubt that she had no hope of getting her crew back to Earth without more people. The Maquis could be the people she needed but they would not accept her on her own. 

What would she do if he insisted on taking command and making her his first officer? Could she give up command so easily? She considered the implications. Could she function as first officer with her crew if that happened? She was the captain of Voyager. Could she ever be its first officer? She knew the answer as surely as she knew her name. She would have to be. Her crew, especially the senior officers, would never accept Chakotay as captain of Voyager if she were not the first officer. He would be in the same position as she.

They needed each other. They needed complete agreement, not simply a compromise. Was she being objective? Was she the better person to lead this band back to Earth? Did his time in the Maquis make him more qualified to confront the challenges they were facing? He was used to scraping by and getting along on limited supplies. She had always had the support and resources of the Federation available.

She shook her head. No, she was the better choice. His knowledge and abilities would be available to her. He would bring his experience to his position. She commanded the loyalty of the majority of the combined crew and she commanded Voyager.

Would he see that? Would he agree? She glanced at the time – 13:59. Was he still playing games? Had he forgotten the time? She resisted the temptation to check his location with the computer. An irritating noise became more intrusive. She looked around for its source and flattened her palm on the table. When had she started drumming her fingers? She picked up her coffee and took a drink. It had cooled but not to the point where it was too bitter. The chime sounded and she nearly dropped the cup.

"Come."

Kathryn Janeway forced herself to take a leisurely sip from the cup in her hands and place the cup on the desk before she looked up. When she finally did, Chakotay was taking the last step on his walk to her desk. When she saw him, she forced herself to relax. She had his answer.

Chakotay stopped in front of her desk and stood straight and tall in a command red uniform sans rank insignia.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Captain. I forgot how congested turbolifts could be at shift change. It won't happen again."

"I'm sure it won't." She nodded, accepting his apology. She stood and walked around the table. "Am I correct in inferring from your clothing that you've accepted the position of first officer on Voyager?"

"You are, Captain, with a minor condition. I'll serve but only as a full commander. I'll answer only to you."

"I'll have your complete loyalty?"

"Just as I'll have your complete trust."

She nodded, turned and walked to the replicator. In a minute she was standing in front of Chakotay.

"Chakotay, it's my honor and privilege to confer upon you the field commission of commander." Carefully she placed the rank insignia on his collar then stepped back and held out her hand. "Congratulations, Commander."

"Thank you, Captain."

Chakotay held out a padd to his new captain. "I took the liberty of preparing a list of duty assignments for my former crew. I strongly recommend that you and your department staff follow it until you learn the strengths and weaknesses of each individual." He pause a moment. "I've taken into consideration factors other than experience and skills."

Kathryn Janeway nodded and sat down but did not accept the padd. He was taking responsibility for the position yet acknowledging her authority. Now it was time for her to give her trust. "You're the first officer. The duty roster is your responsibility. I'll let you know if I have any problems with it.

"Please sit down, Commander. We have a few things to discuss." She tapped her terminal. "Janeway to Lieutenant Tuvok. Please report to my ready room."

"On my way, Captain."

It was only a moment before the chime sounded and Tuvok entered. She knew he had detected the rank insignia on Chakotay's uniform when his eyebrow twitched.

"Lieutenant, Chakotay has agreed to assume the duties and obligations of first officer. Please see to it that he receives all the authorizations and command codes necessary. Also, find someone to assist him in removing Cavitt's personal items from his office tomorrow."

"Yes, Captain." Tuvok paused waiting for more instructions. When none were forthcoming, he continued. "I'll be on the bridge, Sir, whenever you're ready."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Chakotay's calm acknowledgement of the man who had betrayed him only days earlier allowed Kathryn Janeway to breathe easier. She nodded Tuvok's dismissal.

When the door closed, she spoke. "We discussed housing assignments earlier. They are now your problem. I prefer to have my senior staff on deck three. We have room to house at least fifty more people than are on board so my recommendation is to spread people out to the extent possible. That's a recommendation only."

Chakotay nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You're in charge of crew discipline. I know we're going to have some conflict and no matter what you do, you're going to be accused of letting one side or the other off easy. I'll try not to get involved directly with the crew."

"Is there anything else?" Chakotay started to stand. Kathryn Janeway was surprised. Their conversation seemed almost anticlimactic after her long anxious afternoon. Was he really agreeing with her so easily?

"What made you decide to accept my offer?" Why was she unable to accept his decision without an explanation? Did she really want to know the answer? It was too late now. She had asked and he was going to answer.

"We've all been under a lot of stress the last few days. I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. I took this uniform off for a reason. I needed a better reason to put it back on. 

"Then I had to decide which of us was the better choice to serve as captain. I know my strengths but I don't know yours. I've been through a lot with my crew. You've been in command of your own ship for a few weeks. I had to decide whether you were strong enough to command this crew. If you weren't, it would be far better for everyone for you to step down now rather than later.

"We're both making a lot of decisions right now that are going to have a long term effect on this ship, and possibly even affect our survival." Chakotay smiled. "My conclusions were either of us could get this ship back to the Alpha Quadrant if the other were the first officer. You're the better choice as captain because you are already the captain."

"Are you going to change your mind in a few weeks or months?"

"No. I'll not challenge your authority as captain unless you do something that warrants being relieved of duty. You have my word on that."

Kathryn Janeway stared at her new first officer. He met her gaze steadily across the desk. He was relaxed and confident, almost cocky.

"I have the feeling that we're going to have many heated discussions about how to run this ship over the years, Commander."

"Heated?" He drawled the word out and his gaze burned into hers and for a moment, they were just two people, a man and woman, not officers. "I think 'heated' is a very good word to describe what we will share."

Kathryn Janeway felt her body react to his comment and stiffened her spine. She jerked her eyes to her monitor pretending to consult it.

"There's one more thing. I'm planning to grant a field commission to Tom Paris and put him in charge of the helmsmen."

"What rank?"

"First Lieutenant."

"If I object?"

"Then I'll delay informing him until we can discuss your objection in detail and I can consider it more thoroughly."

"I have no objection."

"Good." She sighed. "It's going to be important for the crew to see us working together and getting along while off duty. Would you object to joining me for dinner in the mess hall later and discussing the priorities of various repairs?"

"I'd appreciate some insight into some of your more senior officers. It will help me start to get to know them."

"Certainly. Go see Tuvok about those authorizations now and have someone send Tom Paris to see me. When I finish with him, I'll join you on the bridge and we'll get underway."

Chakotay stood and accepted his dismissal. "Yes, Captain."

Kathryn stood and walked over to the replicator where she recycled her cup and requested a set of first lieutenant's pips. She wondered what Owen Paris would think if he knew his son was going to be wearing those pips in a few minutes. She walked back to her desk and realized with a start that all her concerns about working with the Maquis captain were gone. She had relaxed. 

Kathryn Janeway knew now that she could get her crew home. She felt lucky. After all that had happened to her, her ship and her crew, she felt lucky. Maybe it wasn't luck she felt. Maybe it was confidence in herself, her ship and her crew. Her crew… her officers… her first officer.

She thought about the man waiting for her on the bridge. He would be at her side when she gave the order to set a course for Earth and he would be by her side during their journey. Together they would command one crew, a Starfleet crew. Together, they would meet the challenges of the Delta Quadrant. Together they would get their crew home.