by Dakota

Kathryn left Sisko's office feeling very self-satisfied. Ben had complimented her on her hair. She shook her head feeling the hair whip around her ears. The haircut had been a spur of the moment decision earlier in the week but she hadn't been certain until today that it was a good idea. She smiled. The sense of confinement and feeling older than her years was gone. Ben had even commented on how young the style made her look. Yes, the hair cut had been a good idea.

Kathryn brushed a dangling lock aside and turned towards her ship. She wished she felt better about her next assignment. She knew what the Maquis were doing was wrong but she also thought the Federation Council was going out of their way to avoid seeing exactly what the Cardassians had been doing to civilians. Only pride and loyalty to her undercover Security Chief kept her from requesting another ship be assigned the task of tracking down Chakotay's ship. She did not relish the idea of arresting a fellow officer - a former fellow officer she reminded herself.

Kathryn mentally shook herself as she reached Voyager's docking bay. They would depart in less than an hour and would be in the Badlands in a few days. Hopefully all would go smoothly and Voyager would be back here at DS9 in about two weeks.

Two weeks later Kathryn found herself in her ready room facing her first officer. She paused in the middle of the conversation and stared into his dark eyes. The last two weeks seemed to cover a lifetime. Voyager was on course for Earth -- half a galaxy away. She had lost a third of her original crew and turned those who should have been prisoners in the brig into Starfleet officers. She had even made one her chief engineer. To top it all off, the Maquis captain was now her first officer.

"You're staring . . . again." His words interrupted her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Commander. I'm still adjusting to our situation. I expected to meet you, but I never expected you to be my first officer."

"I understand. I never expected to wear this uniform again, or to be taking orders from someone else. I am used to being captain of my own ship. This is very unexpected." Chakotay paused to scan her face. "But, I have to admit, it has its good points."

Kathryn blushed and realized that she had been staring at him when he spoke again.

"Is there anything else, Captain?"

"Yes, there is. First, please call me Kathryn when we're alone. It's a long way home."

"As you wish, . . . Kathryn."

"I meant what I said out there, you know. This is one ship, one crew - a Starfleet crew, and I will get us home."

"I know. I believe you will, though I have no idea how."

"This is my ship, was my ship. I'm not so foolish as to think that I can do this alone. I'm going to need your help, your support, and your experience. This is our ship, Commander. The only way we'll get our people back to Earth is if we do it together." She met Chakotay's eyes again and wondered what he was thinking. She smiled slightly and was rewarded with a wide grin and dimples. She returned her gaze to his eyes and saw something that intrigued her and smiled back.

"Together it is, Kathryn. Shall we?" Chakotay held out his arm and she linked hers through his. Together, Voyager's new command team headed out to the bridge smiling broadly. Seventy years from home in uncharted space and Kathryn had never felt so confident in the future.  She wondered whether it was the hair cut or maybe the tattoo. She glanced at her first officer. No, it was the man, definitely the man, that made all the difference.