by Dakota
Part 4

The next day, it took everyone a while to get used to the idea they could do anything they wanted and to figure out exactly what that was. Eventually most of them wandered down to the valley to explore it. Many had never been more than a hundred meters from the bottom of the trail.

"Come on, Chakotay. Let's get going." He looked up from the table in surprise.

"It's our day off. What's the rush?"

"I want to find a way across the river."

"What about Tuvok's bridge?"

"I mean farther down the valley."

"I'm not going unless you're planning a nice leisurely stroll." Chakotay was firm. "And neither are you."

Kathryn just glared at him then turned toward the tunnel to the Canyon Trail. Chakotay caught her as she stepped outside.

"I mean it, Kathryn. A nice leisurely stroll or we're not going."

"You mean you aren't going. I am." Determination and irritation vied for dominance in her voice.

She turned to walk down the trail but he was faster. He reached one arm around her waist to stop her. She tried to push his arm away but he was stronger. "I mean it, Kathryn. This is our day off and we're not racing around working."

Kathryn turned in her tracks and looked at him angrily. "Why are you fighting me on this?"

"I'd like to spend a nice leisurely day with you."

"Maybe I'd prefer a day on my own." Kathryn knew she had gone too far when she saw Chakotay's face but her anger remained in control.

His arm dropped to his side. "If that's what you want, fine." He turned and walked back into the mess hall leaving her on the trail.

Kathryn turned and started down the trail. Twenty meters later, she stopped and turned around. She entered the mess hall expecting to see Chakotay but he was not there.

"Which way did Chakotay go?" Kathryn asked a lingering crewman.

"That way, Captain." The crewman indicated the tunnel. Kathryn walked quickly across the mess hall but as soon as she entered the tunnel, she picked up her pace. She was glad the torches were lit for the benefit of those coming and going from the caves. She stepped out of the tunnel but couldn't see Chakotay so she made her way down to the Canyon Trail. Damn! That man could move too fast. She scanned the canyon for him and nearly missed seeing him far down the canyon headed for the valley.

Kathryn stopped where the Canyon Trail joined the Valley Trail and knew Chakotay had managed to elude her. He was nowhere in sight. Her anger had faded as she tried to catch up with Chakotay leaving only regret for having hurt him. She looked around the valley one last time before heading back for the canyon.

Noise off the trail caught her attention. She looked toward it and realized it came from the area they had selected for their shelter. As quietly as she could, Kathryn walked toward the noise. She found Chakotay's jacket on the ground and him moving rocks to outline the walls of their shelter.

"This is supposed to be your day off."

Chakotay stopped moving for a few seconds then placed the rock he was holding next to the others. Slowly he straightened to look at Kathryn. "I thought you wanted to spend the day on your own along the river."

"I thought wrong." Kathryn closed the distance between them. "I'm not very good at taking a day off."

"I noticed."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Go spend the day the way you wanted. We can talk this evening."

Kathryn reached out and took his hand. "Come on. We'll get something for lunch to eat along the river. Maybe we can check out the pool at the bottom of the falls."

Chakotay stared at her for a moment then at their hands. Slowly he lifted her hand to his lips then let it go. He walked away from Kathryn to pick up his jacket. He shrugged it in place then held out his hand toward her. 

Smiling, Kathryn moved to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist, forcing him to put his arm across her shoulders.

"We're not going to cover much ground like this." Chakotay pointed out.

"We're in no hurry." 

Kathryn smiled as Chakotay's arm pulled her a bit closer.

The captain and first officer spent the next morning making sure all projects other than the planting were properly put on hold. They also made a list of priorities and the approximate number of people to assign as the planting season progressed.

"That should do it." Kathryn leaned back in her chair and looked at Chakotay. "We'd better get down to the mess hall. Wouldn't want to be late for our first day of work as cheap labor."

Chakotay only looked at Kathryn and shook his head as he stood up. They exited the ready room and made their way down the path toward the mess hall. Tom Paris was pacing nervously outside the door.

"Could I have a word with you, Commander? Paris glanced nervously at the captain. "In private?"

The captain exchanged looks with the first officer, nodded, and walked into the tunnel.

"What is it, Paris? Keeping secrets from the captain is never a good idea."

"It's about the captain." Paris began nervously. "We're going to assign the afternoon teams so they have at least one experienced person, preferably two, working on each three-man team. Almost every person has asked me or Ayala to be teamed with anyone except the captain."

"Did they give any reason?"

"I think they're afraid, sir." Paris shook his head slightly. "I know, they've all worked with her but it wasn't like this. They're more comfortable with her when she is in command. If she makes a mistake, they don't want to be the one to tell her. They also like to chat as they work, it makes it easier for them and most of them aren't used to talking to her on a personal basis for more than a few minutes."

"And you want me to tell her to find something else to do?"

"No, sir." Paris looked more hopeful. "We actually have something she could do. Ayala and I have been laying out a line so the rows are straight. I though she and Ayala could do that this afternoon and you could help me supervise the others."

"They don't want to work with me either?" Chakotay demanded.

Paris turned as red as his uniform. "No, sir."

Chakotay chuckled. "So you and Ayala get to be the sacrificial goats?"

"I guess so." Paris smiled slightly then turned serious. "I know you and I have had our differences, sir, but you aren't the type to retaliate if I tell you the truth and you'll ask if you aren't sure how something is supposed to be done. The captain is like that, too, but once she gets involved, she tends to take over. She'll probably be ordering Ayala around in an hour, but that's ok as long as they get the job done. You'll do the same to me but it won't be where the others can hear."

"Why didn't you just tell us you wanted us doing this other work?"

"I was afraid you and the captain would insist on working with the others."

"And you wanted to be sure I'd support you and Ayala assigning us to these other tasks?"

"Yes, sir."

"All right. I'll support you today but I want you to consider changing those assignments later. It would be good for everyone if we worked along with everyone else."

"We'll do that, sir." Paris finally relaxed.

The two men turned toward the tunnel. "Tell me how it's going so far."

"Pretty well once we got started." Paris was clearly pleased with the morning's efforts. "At first we thought we'd give each team their own section but it was too hard to keep the rows parallel. So me moved everyone to the same field and had the first team follow the line we had laid out, then the next team followed right next to them. Once we got moving, it went pretty fast. We got twenty rows over a kilometer long plowed this morning."

"That is a good start." Chakotay was impressed. "What do you think you can finish this afternoon?"

"We think we'll mantain the kilometer distance but finish twenty-five rows. By tomorrow we're hoping to get up to seventy-five rows for the day."

The men had picked up their lunches and reached the table while they were talking. Chakotay sat down next to Kathryn. She looked at him, asking silently whether things were all right. He nodded slightly to reassure her.

"We'd like everyone's opinions on something." Ayala started what was clearly a new topic.

"You've come to the right people. This crowd always has an opinion." The captain's comment brought a round of chuckles from the table.

"This is only the first day of work, but the people this morning are already feeling the effects of hard physical labor. When the captain and the commander announced our new schedule, they mentioned working a day and a half then having a half day off. I want to know whether you think it would be a good idea to adopt that schedule for the next few weeks until we get used to the work."

Comments and debate kept them busy for the next ten minutes. Finally, Chakotay spoke, "Are you trying for a consensus or did you just need some additional input?"

Paris answered. "Input only. Ayala and I will discuss it later and decide."

The captain looked more than a little surprised but Chakotay spoke before she could. "Just make sure everyone knows what your decision is including those preparing the meals."

Chakotay stood followed quickly by Paris and Ayala. The rest of the room took that as their signal to finish and report for their assignments in the valley. After they had cleared their trays and were heading for the tunnel, Ayala stepped next to the captain. "I have something I want you to help me with this afternoon, Captain."

Chakotay hung back a meter or two with Paris. As soon as he was sure the captain was not protesting her assignment, he turned to Paris and asked for the details on his duties.

About three weeks later, the captain stepped out of the tunnel from the ready room and surveyed the valley. They had extended the two weeks to three but the results were visible to everyone. Long rows of straight furrows spread across the open area near the caverns and another set of rows across the valley. 

A pipeline extended from the river across the center of the valley past the last field. Vorik and his group were making slow but steady progress, mainly because of the time it took them to carry the pipes from the storage area. On the third day, he had requested that everyone making the trek to the far side of the valley carry one section of pipe to the area where they would be working. His team would take it from there to where it was needed. Vorik estimated that the extra help saved his team at least seven days of work for each day the others carried pipes across the valley. Today they would start planting. A few people would continue plowing but most of the people assigned to the fields would spend the next few weeks planting.

The captain compared the plowed area to the grassy area. They had already extended the two weeks that everyone would be helping to three. She wondered whether they needed to extend it again.

"What are you thinking?" Chakotay's voice startled her.

The captain jerked her head around to see him standing at her shoulder. "How much more are they planning to plow and plant this year?"

"They're about two-thirds finished with the plowing."

"Plus now they have to plant what they've plowed." The captain sighed. "We have to keep everyone working out there, don't we?"

"I think we should." Chakotay agreed immediately. "But I think they all need a break."

"What kind of break?"

"Oh, a day off that's not scheduled and maybe a bonfire or something like that along one of the rivers. I'm sure we could come up with something to celebrate. Getting ready for the party would be a change of pace for everyone."

"That wouldn't take the whole day."

"It would if they were doing something else." Chakotay commented. "We know what the guidelines for the personal shelters are going to be. I could announce them at noon. Then you could announce tomorrow being a holiday and ask for volunteers to prepare the food and gather wood for the fire. Others can help set up and clean up. It won't take anyone more than an hour or two. They can spend the rest of the time relaxing or picking out a site for their shelters."

"Can we afford to lose an entire day?"

"I don't think we can afford not to have a holiday."

The captain nodded and turned to walk down the trail to the mess hall. "All right. You've convinced me. We'll tell them at noon."

"What about continuing the work in the fields?" Chakotay reminded the captain of her original question.

"You can tell them this morning."

"I can tell them?"

"Your voice carries better than mine in the caverns."

Chakotay paused and touched Kathryn's arm to stop her. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Your voice carries just fine in the caverns and in the tunnels which is why it's a very good thing the ready room and our grotto are the only caverns along that tunnel." He straightened and continued walking leaving a slightly flushed captain staring at his back torn between laughing and glaring.

The captain walked directly to the table when she entered the mess hall to find her food and coffee waiting for her and Chakotay in the middle of a conversation with the others. They all looked up as she greeted them, "Good morning."

"It's safe to sit down, Captain. I already told them the field work would have to continue for another week or two," Chakotay responded.

"No one was all that surprised, Captain," Carey commented. "They know it's important that we get the crops planted."

"We were discussing whether to get the plowing finished or the planting moving along faster." Paris summarized the recent conversation.

"It's probably more important what we get planted first. The crops that take the longest to ripen should be planted as soon as possible," Ayala contributed.

"Why don't you focus on planting this week and see how long it takes. Then next week, you'll have a better idea how to allocate everyone," Chakotay suggested.

"What do you want me to do now that Ayala and I have finished laying out the grid lines?" the captain asked. 

"Well, I'm not sure," Paris prevaricated.

"Don't we have tomatoes scheduled in the field next to where the main trail splits off to the canyon?" Chakotay asked.

"Yes," Paris took the hint. "You want to be in charge of planting the tomatoes, Captain? We thought two or three people could do that field and maintain it all summer."

"All right. What kind of tomatoes do we have?"

"I lost count but there are several varieties of large red ones, at least one yellow variety, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, Italian tomatoes and even some Talaxian tomatoes that Neelix says are wonderful even without leola root."

"What do you want me to do, Paris?" Chakotay asked.

"How about you continue to supervise the plowing. Ayala can work with the groups down the valley and I'll stay at this end today." Paris looked at Ayala. "We can trade places tomorrow. Sound ok?"

"That reminds me. We should get started on the shelter down the valley pretty soon. We're going to need it soon."

Paris let out a deep breath at the latest addition to the workload. He looked at the captain and first officer. "How did you ever keep up?"

The command team laughed.

"Experience and lots of planning when we had that luxury," the captain answered.

"Pull three or four people who can handle a saw and have Tuvok show them the right trees to cut. Once they're cut and trimmed of their branches, we can take a larger group to move them to the proper location. It shouldn't take more than a day to actually assemble the walls of the shelter. A smaller group can put on the roof and finish it on the inside." Chakotay advised.

Ayala and Paris exchanged looks before Ayala turned to Chakotay. "Boss, I don't suppose you'd…"

Chakotay smiled. "Pick out a team and I'll get them started on our next full day of work. I should be back by lunch to cover the plowing."

"Captain?" Sam Wildman spoke up.

"Yes, Ensign?"

"Would it be all right if I traded assignments with Lieutenant Torres?"

"Any particular reason for your request?"

Sam Wildman looked warily at the other young woman. "Well, she's been working along the river for the last few weeks pretty much on her own. I thought she might like a change of pace for a few days."

"Lieutenant, do you want a change of assignment?" The captain turned to Torres.

"Well, I wouldn't mind helping with those tomatoes, Captain."

The captain turned to Paris and Ayala. "It's your call, gentlemen." Both men nodded their agreement. The conversation turned more general for a few minutes before they stood and headed for the fields.

Chakotay stood as people were starting to finish their lunch.

"Before you all begin your half day off, I have a few announcements. First, the captain asked me to advise you that we'll continue focusing our efforts on the fields for at least a week or two more.

"Next, I want to outline the procedures for selecting and assigning shelter sites. It's pretty simple." When Chakotay finished the explanation, he stared at Ayala. "You can start turning in your locations day after tomorrow. Now, the captain wants to say a few words. Captain."

"Thank you, Commander." The captain stood. "I know you've all been working hard. The hours you've all spent soaking in the grottos in the evenings would tell me that even if I hadn't watched you working or couldn’t see the results from the trail. This afternoon is your half-day off. I'm declaring tomorrow a holiday for everyone. If you all decide to have a bonfire along the river below the lower bridge tomorrow night, the commander and I wouldn't object. We would ask one thing though. Try to let the people who have been preparing the meals for the last few weeks do something else. I'm sure they could use the change as much as the rest of you."

As the others formed small groups making plans for their unexpected day off, Kathryn and Chakotay walked up the trail to the ready room.

"What are we going to do?"

Chakotay reached out and took her hand as they walked. "Let's relax in the grotto for a few hours. Maybe then we can walk down to our site and pace off the size we want. If there's time after that, we could look for wild strawberries or rhubarb or asparagus."

"How big should we make our cabin?"

"Well, big enough to stretch out to sleep and still have room for one of us to sit without disturbing the other. I thought maybe we could bring rocks from the river to build a fireplace. That would allow us to cook as well as stay warm. It could be enough to allow us to use it all winter if we can collect enough firewood."

"Sounds like you have it all figured out."

"Just some ideas. It will take a long time to carry all those rocks from the river and they might be needed elsewhere."

The two had reached the grotto and shed their clothing. Chakotay jumped in with the ease of innumerable repetitions then turned to lift Kathryn down.

"We still have a lot of things to decide, don't we?" The captain sighed as she settled against Chakotay on the ledge they shared.

"I know one thing already. As long as you share that hole in the hillside with me, I'll be happy."

"Do you think that other Kathryn and Chakotay are as happy as we are?"

Chakotay considered her question for a long time before he answered, "Honestly? No, I don't think so. I think those last few minutes on Voyager after you set the self-destruct changed the way we view the world around us. I don't think I would have told you that legend if we were still on the ship heading for Earth. I certainly wouldn't have told it to you for a long, long time."

"You're probably right. I don't think I would have let go of everything I left behind so easily. I'm not sure I would ever have allowed myself to acknowledge the man behind the officer." Kathryn kissed Chakotay lightly. "I wish our journey could have taken us back to Earth but I can't imagine my journey ending anywhere except in your arms."

The bonfire was a huge success. Neelix and Tom had gotten almost everyone to volunteer for an hour or two so no one had to do too much work. Most of the crew spent the day lazing around their caves or the grottos and the rest of it hiking the hillsides. Jenkins and Anderson stumbled upon a clearing in the trees about a kilometer from the split in the trail filled with wild strawberry plants. They weren't ripe yet, but in a few more weeks, they would be a sweet addition to the breakfast menu.

Kathryn had wondered about the wisdom of having only a half day of work after the holiday but decided that it would ease people back into their grueling routine a bit more gently than a full day's work. She pulled on her second boot and walked slowly toward the ready room. Chakotay had gone ahead to get out crude sketch of the valley. He turned towards her as she entered the ready room.

"Tell me where you want your shelter, Kathryn."

"You already know."

"Tell me anyway." He pushed the map toward her. "At least point to its approximate location."

"This is silly," Kathryn protested but complied.

"Thank you." Chakotay made a mark on the map. "Ready for breakfast?"

They were halfway along the tunnel when he spoke again, "I'll catch up with you as quickly as I can."

Kathryn turned to look at him just as they exited the tunnel. At least thirty people were lined up along the trail leading from the mess hall.

"Who was here first?" Chakotay asked the group.

"I was, Commander," Ayala spoke up.

"How long have you been here, Lieutenant?"

Ayala nodded toward a blanket on the ground. "I slept up here last night, Sir."

Chakotay shook his head. "Where do you want your shelter? Point it out and give me a few landmarks for reference."

Ayala pointed to the spot on the map and gave an approximate distance from the split in the trails.

Thirty minutes later, Chakotay walked into the mess hall to find his breakfast waiting for him. As soon as she saw him, Kathryn stood and went to get him his coffee. As she handed it to him on her return, she admitted, "I drank yours when you didn't get here right away."

Paris and Ayala were still eating. "Is there anyone else near Ayala's corner, Commander?"

"Only one couple. Why?"

"B'Elanna and I have our eye on a spot in the area but haven't quite decided on an exact location. We may as well find out their exact location before we decide."

"You can talk to me or the captain," Chakotay instructed.

"Don't we have to get their permission?"

"Like he said, Lieutenant, you can talk to the commander or to me."

B'Elanna punched Tom on the arm. "Pay attention, Plow Boy! It's their site."

"Did you have to hit me so hard?" Tom complained.

"You weren't complaining last night," B'Elanna reminded him.

"That was different."

The captain interrupted their exchange. "Come on, Lieutenant, let's get back to our tomatoes. The boys can chat over coffee if they want."

Making no effort to suppress her amusement, B'Elanna stood. "Good idea, Captain."

Four weeks later, Anderson and Jenkins showed up at dinner with two bags filled with small ripe strawberries. There weren't even enough for everyone to have a taste but they reported that there were many more ready to pick. Kathryn looked at Chakotay silently inquiring what he thought they should do.

"Tomorrow is the half day, Captain. Perhaps the crew should spend it picking strawberries?"

"Tom? Ayala? What do you think?"

"We’re working on extra plantings of foods we think we can dry or store for the winter. A day or two won't make much difference," Ayala said.

"Actually picking something might make all this planting seem more worthwhile," Paris added.

"Well, then, gentlemen, I'll let you make the decision."

The next morning everyone started off acting more like it was a holiday than a work assignment.

"Don't eat all the strawberries. We want them to make jam and to add to other foods." Ayala instructed as the first of the crew left the mess hall.

The captain and first officer were among the last to reach the strawberry field. The crew had spread out over the field and were picking steadily while maintaining constant good humor bantering. Before they could ask Tom where they should pick, Wilson approached him.

"Lieutenant, I think I remember seeing asparagus near here a few weeks ago. It should be ripe by now. Would you mind if I went to try to find it?"

"Sounds like a good idea. Do you need any help?"

"Only if I find it, Sir. Then it would be nice to have some help cutting and carrying it."

"Would you object to our helping?" The captain volunteered. "It looks like they have enough picking strawberries right now."

Tom Paris looked at Wilson who shrugged. "Suits me, Lieutenant."

"Good luck on your hunt then," Paris commented and moved toward someone with too many berries in their carrier.

"Lead on, Crewman. Show us where you think we should look." Chakotay motioned for Wilson to lead the way.

Two hours later, the trio returned to the strawberry fields laden with fresh food. Ayala saw them coming first and hurried over to meet them.

"What is all this, Boss?" In his excitement, Ayala reverted to his Maquis habits.

"Food, Lieutenant," Chakotay answered. "Asparagus, rhubarb and mushrooms."

"I should have known you'd find the mushrooms, Boss," Ayala commented as he helped the captain put down her supply.

"I didn't find them, Ayala. The captain did," Chakotay admitted.

"He likes mushrooms?" the captain asked with feigned innocence.

"His favorite, ma'am," Ayala grinned. "Make him some mushroom soup and he'll be yours for life."

Wilson and Ayala moved on before Chakotay whispered to the captain, "I already am."

"What did they find?" Paris called as he approached.

"They found asparagus, mushrooms and rhubarb, whatever that is," Ayala answered.

"Sounds like we lose another day tomorrow."

"Half a dozen people every other day should keep us supplied." Chakotay assured the two men. "If you're lucky, a few will come back this afternoon and pick more just so they can have it for dinner."

Laughing, the group started to distribute the fruits of their morning's labor among themselves to carry back to the caverns.

A few weeks later, Ayala dragged into the mess hall at the end of a half-day off looking dusty and exhausted. He made his way through the food line and over to the table where the captain and first officer were talking over coffee.

"What were you doing?" Chakotay inquired as he eyed his friend.

"I got most of my shelter dug out this afternoon. Man, are there ever a lot of rocks in that dirt! That really slowed me down."

"There are?" Chakotay was interested. "That's good news."

"Yeah, right. You didn't have to move them by yourself."

"Hope you didn’t move them too far. You might want them back by the shelter."

"Huh?" Ayala's mind was nearly as worn out as his body.

"To make a fireplace. Remember? Didn’t you want to make that a year-round shelter?"

"I must not be thinking straight. I was thinking about sheet metal fireplaces because that's all that I've seen in the last ten years. It never occurred to me to use rocks." Ayala looked at Chakotay. "Thanks for reminding me."

"You doing this alone?"

"Yeah." Ayala glanced to another table where Sam Wildman sat talking with others. "I might be using it alone too at this rate."

The captain smiled encouragement. "Don’t give up. She was looking around for something… or someone... earlier and seemed worried that she couldn't find it… or him."

"Hey, boss. Could you do me a favor day after tomorrow?"

"Sure. What do you need?"

"I'm having trouble figuring out how to do the roof. If I slope it down from the hillside, it's too low at the front and I sure can't slope it up."

How deep did you dig into the hillside?"

"About two meters," Ayala answered. "The front is about four meters."

"I'll want to see it to be sure but it sounds like you need to dig it deeper into the hill at least another meter, maybe two."

"If I do that it's low enough to use the sod above as the roof. But I don't trust it to go that wide without some type of support."

Chakotay thought a minute or two. "All right. You still need to go deeper. Why not leave a section in the center as a dividing wall and dig back into the hillside on both sides. The wall would give you two living areas and provide support for the ceiling. You could slope the roof down to about a meter or so off the ground. Then put the door on the side wall, not the front wall. You might have to dig out some more to do that but it should work. If you put the fireplace in that corner, you could build the door right into the wall next to the fireplace."

"I'm not sure I follow you."

"We can walk down tomorrow during lunch for a look. I'll sketch something out for you tomorrow night. We'll see how it works after we finish work day after tomorrow. OK?"

"Thanks." Ayala finished eating and stood. "I'm going to get cleaned up. I'll see you later."

"Remember what I said, too." The captain reminded him as he left. Ayala nodded.

Chakotay stood up. "I could use a nice long soak in the grotto. Care to join me?"

Kathryn smiled and nodded. "Those two have a fight?" She kept her voice low.

Chakotay shook his head. "I don't think so. He's been really busy the last month or two in the fields and spending a lot of time in the evenings with Tom planning. He's also been spending a lot of nights across the valley. I think they just haven't had time to talk much lately."

"I hope that's all it is. She was really worried earlier and seemed fine after he showed up."

"They'll be ok. She'll probably be helping him in a couple of days." Chakotay smiled at Kathryn. "Now, can we focus on how little time we've had together in the last week?"

"You feeling neglected?" Kathryn teased.

"I'm beginning to wish I were one of those tomato plants so you'd spend some time with me." Chakotay pulled her close.

"Well, I'm glad you're not a tomato plant." Kathryn kissed him lightly. "I'll show you later… after that nice long soak you promised me." She pulled away and started stripping. "Last one in has to turn off the torches tonight."

Ayala made his way slowly along the tunnel past Hernando's Hideaway and briefly considered joining the crowd there. The laughter and chatter seemed too noisy tonight. He had gotten used to the more peaceful atmosphere at Clementine's. He made his way to the corner that was his sleeping area and stripped to his boxers. Clementine's was empty as he made his way to a quiet corner of the pools.

He ducked his head under the water before he leaned back on a ledge and let the water ease the fatigue from his body. He sighed as he considered Chakotay's suggestions for the shelter. He had thought most of the digging was completed. Now he knew that it was barely started. Was it even worth it? That shelter was supposed to be for two people but he'd barely spoken to Sam the last few weeks. She had stopped sitting at the senior officer's table and joined the others who were out picking the fresh food they found in the valley.

"We need to talk, don't we?"

The softly spoken words made Ayala jump and hit his head as he jerked his head to face the source. His eyes met concerned blue ones less than a meter away.

"I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you." For a moment, Ayala thought she was going to leave, but she reached out a hand to touch his head. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"I'm fine." Ayala let out the breath he had been holding. The concern in her voice and the touch of her fingers on his forehead had left him nearly speechless. "I guess we do need to talk. Where do we start?"

"Maybe with the shelter." Sam's voice conveyed her tension. "Last winter you hinted that it was for two people. I was wondering if that were still true."

"It is. I'm just not sure the other person wants to share it with me. I haven't had much time lately and we haven't talked for quite a while. Then she stopped eating at the same table leaving me unsure about what she wants."

"You're hinting again. That's all you do," Sam responded. "That's my fault. You've been so patient with me since we got here, letting met get over having my baby sent to the other ship and then getting used to the idea that my marriage was over and that another Sam Wildman was heading home to my husband. I'm ready for more than hints. Tell me, please, what your plans are. What it is you want?"

"That shelter is for us, you and me. I love you. I want us to be together." Ayala stood as he spoke.

"That's what I want, too. I love you." Anything else Sam might have said was cut off as Ayala pulled her against him and kissed her. She pressed against him as his hands moved over her back.

Abruptly, Ayala pushed Sam away. "Not here."

"I know." Sam took his hand. "Come with me."

Sam led Ayala out of the water and toward his sleeping area where she picked up a towel and his pillow. "Get your blankets." 

He picked them up and followed Sam across the grotto past her sleeping area to a slight depression in the rock wall. She dropped the towel but continued walking and slipped around the depression and disappeared. When Ayala followed her, he saw they had entered a very small chamber with a waterfall and pool. Sam turned to face him. "No one will bother us as long as the towel is out there."

Ayala dropped the blankets to spread them on the floor and winced. Sam saw the flash of pain cross his face. "I'll do that. You can barely move. You get in the pool and I'll join you in a minute."

As Ayala looked for a step down to the water, Sam made one final remark. "I almost forgot. The rules in here are different. Skinny dipping only."

Chakotay had fully intended to do the work on their shelter himself, but Ayala insisted on helping him after Chakotay spent four days over a period of weeks helping him with his stonework and roof. Tom showed up the last two days to help with the roof. By the time Ayala and Sam could move into their shelter, Sam, B'Elanna, and Kathryn had started digging out the younger couple's shelter. No one consulted Chakotay when the men moved on to the command team's shelter. Theirs was the smallest and the rockiest. When they had finished digging out the shelter, there were enough rocks for the entire exterior wall.

While the three couples worked, everyone else had followed their example and formed teams to work on shelters in their free time. 

The need for more convenient water supplies to the shelters and mess hall became apparent as the people worked in the summer heat. They settled on 'wells' every kilometer or so as well as to areas where there were six or more shelters clustered. The command team debated whether to allow people to run water to the shelters but decided to wait until the following year. The deciding factor in the debate was the ripening of about half the crops and the need to refocus on their food supply.

Chinking all the shelters brought the issue of mud and clay to the forefront. They had a kiln that was barely being used. A group was assigned to explore the rivers looking for fine, smooth clay they could use to make dishes and pottery. They found suitable clay but it was at the opposite end of the valley. Bringing the clay back proved one of the most challenging tasks they had faced. It was heavy and awkward to carry and it took a person half a day to make one trip. 

Three days of making the long trips led to loud complaints at dinner and a discussion by the senior officers of alternative methods of transportation. The solution was to build a large raft and pull it up the slowly flowing river to a point nearer the caverns. It was far from ideal but it was more practical than carrying the clay across the valley. The first personal projects were pitchers for water.

Summer advanced towards fall and a small group who had learned to whittle or carve taught others how to make flatware and wooden dishes. They gathered in a corner of the craft room and exchanged banter with those at the loom or spinning wheel. Another group made drying racks and experimented with drying various fruits and vegetables. Their success meant a wider variety of food during the coming winter.

They found wild grapes and a few enterprising types occupied their free time trying to make wine. They were forced to settle for grape juice because they had no way to store it so it could ferment properly. Then the summer fruit trees ripened and they had more fruit and juice than they knew what to do with so they dried as much as they could.

Then the main harvest was upon them and they all returned to work in the fields. Most of it was easy if tiring but picking cotton proved a challenge. Even after they had managed to pick the wheat and corn, they still had to winnow it and grind it before they could use it. Then the apples ripened. They knew this crop would last the winter and the captain allowed no waste. The wine entrepreneurs had more luck with hard cider than they did the wine mainly because they had had time to make a few wooden kegs. That led to a second holiday to celebrate the harvest.

"It's been quite a year, hasn't it?" Chakotay asked as he leaned against a rock away from the mass of people around the bonfire.

"Yes, and it was a good year, too," Kathryn responded. She was seated between his legs using him as her backrest. "A year ago I would never had sat like this with you, even in private, much less among the entire crew."

"I like it this way better."

"Me, too," Kathryn admitted. "I've been thinking about something we were talking about last spring."

"Oh?" Chakotay had tilted his head forward and was nibbling Kathryn's ear.

"About the rank structure. I think it's time to change the way we run things here."

That got Chakotay's attention. "Sounds like you've decided already."

"You told me what you thought last spring. Have you changed your mind?"

"No. Someday it might be a good idea, but this is too soon. Maybe in a year it will be a good idea, but not now."

"I'm ready for the change. There are many among the group who know more about the things we need to survive than I do."

"That's not true. You just don't know how to carve a dinner plate. Don't rush to change a structure that works."

"When I watched them harvesting all those crops, I felt like I was some kind of dictator making them work like that. I decided what days they worked, what tasks they were assigned, when they could rest, even where they could live."

"You worked right along with them, and you weren't alone in making those decisions."

"You'd have done what I wanted so it's amounts to the same thing." Kathryn pulled one of his hands to her lips. "Support me one last time?"

Chakotay sighed and closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms across her shoulders and buried his nose in her hair. "All right."

Kathryn stood and pulled Chakotay to his feet. "There's no time like the present." She kissed him before making her way to the group at the bonfire.

"I have a few things to say to you all tonight." The captain stood straight and proud. "You've all earned this party tonight and more. You've worked hard in the year since we came to this valley and it's paid off. You've built homes and raised food for the coming winter. You've formed new families and strengthened friendships. You should all be proud of what you've accomplished in the last year.

"It's time for you to build your own community." Kathryn could feel the questions in the eyes watching her. "We came together on a ship with rules and regulations and rank. Those rules and regulations were necessary on a ship, but they weren't written for what is essentially a colony situation. It's time to leave them behind.

"I want you all to consider how you think this colony, your colony, should be run and come up with a government of some sort. You can think about it tonight. Tomorrow morning after breakfast, I'd like you to gather in the mess hall and discuss your options. When you've made a decision, please let me know. I'd like to participate in whatever government you decide to establish if possible. Effective tonight, I'm stepping down as your captain. Good night."

Kathryn took off her rank pips and walked back to Chakotay. "I'll be in the grotto."

Chakotay caught her hand. "I'm going with you." Kathryn stared at him a moment then nodded. Together they made the walk back to their grotto.

The next morning Chakotay was up early for the sole purpose of getting their breakfast from the mess hall before the others gathered. Sam and Ayala were among the few already there.

"What's going on?" Ayala demanded.

"She told you last night. That's all I'm going to say. She wants all of you to make this decision on your own. We'll be moving our things out of the ready room into the grotto. We'll get lunch from what we have at the hillside but we'll have to come back here for our dinner."

"This is all wrong, Commander," Sam argued.

"I told you I'm not going to discuss it. She's made her decision. Now all of you have to make yours." Chakotay paused for a moment. "She is doing this for you, to give you a chance at having some control over your lives. Make sure you all use this chance wisely."

"Ok, I'm going to list the suggestions we have so far." Tom Paris tried to get the attention of half a dozen separate groups all holding their own private debate. No one listened to him. Finally, running out of options he whistled – a long shrill whistle that left the room in silence. He spoke before anyone else could. "Listen for a minute. We're not going to get anywhere if we all talk at once. Everyone will get a chance to express his or her opinion… but only if you wait your turn to talk." A dozen hands shot up to be recognized. "Ok, Yosa, I don't think you've spoken yet."

"I don't know what's wrong with the old way we did things. I know I complained about the senior officers just like everyone else, but that's just part of being in the military. Having the captain make the final decisions worked just fine. She asked for opinions from people who knew about things and the commander never let her forget how everyone felt. I don't see why we can't keep that system."

"She wants us to come up with something else. That's why we have this morning off – to discuss alternatives," Ayala reminded the group.

Tuvok spoke up. "Actually, she told us to select the government we wanted. Although not common and seldom successful over the long term, there are many examples of the military running a government on several of our home worlds."

A voice carried from the back of the cavern. "You mean we can choose to keep our old system?"

"She did not prohibit that," Vorik joined in the discussion.

"I still think the enlisted personnel need more say in what goes on. It's all too easy for the officers to overlook us." Another voice from the rear of the cavern rang out.

"That's almost as true for the ensigns," Sam Wildman reminded them.

"Could I make a suggestion?" Kes spoke up. Paris nodded and the others quieted down. "The captain regularly discusses things with the senior staff. She doesn't always do exactly what they suggest but she does consider it. Why couldn't we add someone to the senior staff to make sure the interests of the enlisted and the lower ranking officers were taken into consideration?"

"How do you propose the individuals be selected?" Tuvok inquired.

"Let each group choose someone. The person could be changed after whatever interval the group wanted."

There was silence for a few minutes then hands shot up to comment. This time the discussion moved forward and pros and cons for Kes's suggestion were presented. An hour later, they seemed to be repeating themselves, so Tom called a halt to the discussion.

"Ok, everyone in favor of Kes's suggestion to keep the old system and add two people to the senior staff raise your hand." Arms waived in the air. "Let's try this again. Anyone opposed to Kes's suggestion, raise your hand." Not a hand moved.

"Great!" Paris was pleased. "Now all we have to do is have each group select someone. "When do you think you can get together and make a decision?"

"What's wrong with right now?" Yosa spoke up. "We have at least an hour before lunch. You officers could start setting things out while we select a representative."

Nodding heads and murmurs of consent indicated that the others agreed.

Paris saw no reason to delay so he accepted the decision. "Ok, enlisted personnel go to that corner," he motioned to the left rear corner of the cavern, "all the ensigns go to that corner," he motioned to the diagonal corner. "The rest of you come over here."

After the groups had formed, three of the officers said they'd set out leftovers from the night before. A few others volunteered to help if they were told where to find things. The rest sat and discussed who they thought would be chosen.

It took the ensigns about fifteen minutes to make a selection. The debate among the enlisted personnel continued about thirty minutes.

"Hey, Lieutenant, we can pick anyone we want, right?" Yosa's voice carried across the room. Paris and Tuvok exchanged looks, not sure who was being addressed. Paris finally nodded for Tuvok to answer.

"That is correct, Crewman. Your group may pick anyone they wish."

"Thank you, Sir." Yosa's next comment carried almost as easily. "I told you." Then the murmur of voices drowned any response.

Ten minutes later, the enlisted personnel stood up. Paris stood and got their attention. "Well, it's not quite time for lunch so unless there are objections, let's send someone to bring the captain and commander down so we can tell them the news."

"Don't you want to know who we picked?" Yosa spoke up.

"I think you should be the ones to tell them who you have chosen." Paris didn’t hear any objections so he nodded at Joe Carey. "Joe, would you go get the captain and Chakotay?"

"Sure." Carey disappeared out the door and the others moved around the room or got something to drink.

About ten minutes later, Carey reappeared followed by the captain and first officer. The three sat down at their usual table.

"Well, we did as you asked, Captain. We discussed a lot of different types of government, but one form just seemed to suit us the best. We want to maintain a military structure just like the one we had on Voyager with one slight change. We're adding two additional people to the senior staff to make sure the interests of a specific portion of the crew are considered in all decisions. One person will be representing the ensigns; the other will be representing the enlisted personnel." Paris smiled and shrugged. "So, like it or not, you're stuck being the captain, Captain, and you're stuck with the commander as you first officer."

Kathryn Janeway was on her feet. "This is not what I meant…"

Paris cut her off. "We did what you told us to do. This is what we want. You said you'd go along with it. We expect you to keep your word."

The captain opened her mouth then closed it. Chakotay stood and moved to her side. "I told you the timing was wrong."

The captain gave her first officer a death glare that promised he'd be hearing from her later. She turned to the rest of the people in the cavern. "All right. I said I'd accept your decision and I will…on one condition. You reconsider it in one year."

Heads nodded in agreement and mumbled consents broke the silence.

"All right. Who have you inflicted with the duty of being on the senior staff?"

Sam Wildman stood up. "The ensigns chose me and told me my first duty was telling you."

"Welcome to the team, Ensign." The captain smiled a welcome at the young woman. "Now, who is the representative for the enlisted personnel?"

Yosa stood. "We considered a lot of things and quite a few people, Captain, but in the end we chose Lieutenant Ayala as our representative."

"What?" Ayala was on his feet. "I'm an officer."

"Yes, sir. We know that. None of us is accustomed to speaking up around the officers. We need someone to make sure we are considered when decisions are made. We want someone who will stand up for us if it becomes necessary and we know you will do that. You might not take on the captain, but I've seen you go after Chakotay if you thought he was wrong. If you say you'll do that for us, then we trust you to keep your word."

"It's up to you, Lieutenant. This is not something I can order you to do. It's between you and the enlisted. Are you willing to do it?"

"For three months. Then we'll get together and see if we're all satisfied. Agreed?" Ayala spoke to the enlisted.

"Agreed." Yosa spoke for them all.

"Welcome to the senior staff, Lieutenant. I can't wait to see you go after Chakotay when you think he's wrong. I trust you'll make sure that I agree with your perspective on that occasion?"

On that humorous note, the crew slowly moved through the serving line and to their usual tables to eat lunch.

Later that night Kathryn and Chakotay walked slowly down the tunnel to the grotto discussing the crew's decision.

"Do you feel better about retaining the command structure now?"

"I think so," Kathryn conceded. "I never intended them to keep it, but I have to admit I'm glad they did. I'm probably a lousy civilian."

"I'd have helped you." Chakotay stopped walking as they reached their bed and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I'm proud of them all, too. They knew what was best for themselves and wouldn't let it go. I hope that when they are finally able to let go of the command structure, I'm ready, too."

"I doubt they ever reach that point. They are what you said they would be, Kathryn." She just looked at him trying to figure out what he meant. "They are one crew, a Starfleet crew… YOUR Starfleet crew."

Kathryn wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him. "I guess they are. I wish I could have kept my promise to get them home."

"You did, Kathryn. They are home."