by Dakota

Kathryn and Chakotay strolled slowly along the street enjoying the short walk to the administrative buildings of the Temsik government. The city itself, placed on a mountain, was rather remote but the inhabitants did not seem to be lacking anything. The streets were clean, the people smiling and the buildings all brightly colored. They had spent the previous day in conference with government officials about the possibility of acquiring supplies including fresh foods. Kathryn had particularly enjoyed the discussions because the people were bright, cheerful and offered alternatives every time there was a request they couldn’t fulfill. Another part of the enjoyment was that the entire population was shorter than she was by at least ten centimeters. Her thoughts were interrupted as Chakotay shifted his tunic. Their clothing was similar to the local clothing. She had on a skirt that reached just above her ankles in a greenish-brown, a blouse in a lighter shade of the same color, and brown shoes that made her feet feel as if she could walk five hundred kilometers without a blister. Chakotay’s outfit was brown pants, a dark rust tunic and shoes similar to hers. The only difference was that most of the natives wore much brighter colors. Kathryn’s first thought was that Neelix would fit right in on taste in clothing.

As they walked, Kathryn marveled at the city. On the surface it looked like the capital of a civilization with a thriving preindustrial economy. Transportation was provided by animals or vehicles powered by your own muscles similar to an adult’s tricycle with a huge shopping basket on the back, but most of the people were walking. Most of the shops had vendors in the street calling out to people carrying baskets. There were public water fountains and watering places for the animals. Part of the previous day’s activities had included a tour of part of the subsurface network of water, power, sanitary and freight transportation facilities that served the city. There was also an underground slide walk that people used to travel greater distances within the city. The government offices looked unimposing but beneath them was a vast complex of technology including the communications array used to arrange their initial meeting with Voyager. In orbit were a handful of warp capable ships used primarily to trade with a few of the neighboring planets for materials not readily available on Temsik.

Over the years, those warp capable ships had created a market for the materials Voyager had available in sufficient quantity to offer in trade. Today Kathryn and Chakotay were going to make the journey to the main supplier of a vegetable that they hoped would take the place of leola root as Voyager’s dietary staple. They had sampled one variety, native to the higher elevations, and found it very similar to a potato or turnip. It resembled leola root and it had taken a great deal of fortitude to taste it because of its appearance, but they had been pleasantly surprised by the mild flavor. The only problem was that there had been blight on this year’s crop so there was none of this variety available for trade. The Temsiki had promised that the far more abundant variety from the valleys was much better and that there had been a bumper crop harvested only a few weeks earlier. With a little luck they would be able to obtain a sufficient supply to keep Voyager leola root free for at least several months. With a bit more luck, they would be able to obtain some plants so they could raise their own supply indefinitely.

A shout across the street and a group of children racing past them brought Kathryn’s attention back to the city. She still didn’t understand why an entire civilization would choose to live such a pastoral lifestyle when they had all that wonderful technology available, but she had to admit it worked for them. She glanced at Chakotay.

“You still think the Temsiki have the best of both worlds, don’t you?”

“Yes. I’m not going to discuss this with you again. We covered this entire topic at least three times last night and I am not going through it again.” The set of Chakotay’s jaw told Kathryn he had finished with the topic so she didn’t pursue it.

“All right, all right!  Friends?” Chakotay looked at her then smiled and held out his arm. She linked her arm through his and asked about Neelix’s latest escapade. Chakotay’s recounting soon had them both laughing and that is how they approached the senior official of Temsik. Prechau stepped forward to greet them.

“Captain, Commander. I’m glad you were enjoying your walk. It’s a beautiful day.”

“You have a beautiful city, Prechau.”

“Thank you, Captain. I hope you enjoy your journey today as much for it will be a long one. Shall I take you to your guide? Although you will be traveling mostly on foot, we’ll take the slide walk to the edge of the city. I think you will like your guide. His name is Lepren.” The trio made small talk about Temsik until they reached the meeting place at the edge of the city.  It appeared to be a park with lots of trees and foliage and paths leading off in various directions. A small stream ran off to one side down the mountain.  Up the mountain in the other direction was a small waterfall adding the quiet rush of water to the sounds of birds and animals.

“Hello!” The trio turned in unison to see a man dressed in bright green almost skipping from stone to stone as he crossed the stream and headed up the path to join them. His movements reminded Kathryn of a deer gracefully clearing great distances and heights effortlessly. “I hope you haven’t been waiting too long. It was such a beautiful day, I just couldn’t resist going for a stroll along the stream.”

“Ah, Lepren, there you are. I should have known you’d be out wandering the paths instead of waiting patiently for our visitors," Prechau greeted the newcomer. “Captain, Commander, allow me to introduce you to Lepren. Don’t let his frivolity and whimsical attitude fool you. He is one of our best guides. Lepren, this is Captain Janeway and her first officer Commander Chakotay.” He waited while they exchanged greetings then spoke again. “I don’t want to rush you, but you have a bit of a journey ahead of you and it is most pleasurable during the daylight hours. Captain, Commander, I’m sure we’ll be talking before you leave Temsik. Lepren, our thanks for your services today.”

“No thanks are necessary, Prechau, I have a feeling I will quite enjoy the journey with the Captain and her Commander. Shall we go?”

“Thank you, Prechau. Yes, we will talk before Voyager leaves.” Kathryn spoke quickly before turning to try to catch up to Lepren who was already heading down one of the trails chatting merrily to whomever could hear him. The unfamiliar skirt distracted her from the unfamiliar terrain and she nearly tripped over a small rock in the path but Chakotay grabbed her arm to steady her before she did more than wobble a bit. Lepren caught the action over his shoulder before Chakotay could release Kathryn’s arm. This would be a very interesting journey for all three.

The journey started through the wooded area but the path soon led them to a steeper part of the mountain. As the path became rockier, Lepren slowed the pace a bit. He had not gone so fast as to tire either Kathryn or Chakotay, but he had set a pace fast enough to make the unfamiliar terrain a bit of a challenge for them. After the first few stumbles, the two had started holding hands by unspoken agreement and necessity. As they walked Kathryn tried to decide why Lepren seemed familiar but couldn’t quite figure it out.

“Captain, Commander, this next section of the path is a bit trickier. Oh, that is so formal for such a wonderful day! Do you have other names I can call you? I’ve found that a journey filled with formality is less enjoyable than one shared with friends.”

“Of course, Lepren. My friends call me Kathryn.” Kathryn didn’t meet Chakotay’s eyes. They both knew he was the only one who called her that.

“And I’m Chakotay.”

“Wonderful! Now, as I said, this next section is a bit tricky, not dangerous, but you must be cautious.  It’s really quite wonderful. The stones are very slippery; they are also very noisy if you fall. If you do, they will probably give you a headache that will last for several hours.  You can also get a headache if you step on the wrong combination of stones. We have marked the proper path through the stones and it is very important that you stay on the marked stones. Now, I will follow an orange path because I am one person. But you will have to follow me using the green paths. One of you will stay on the lighter green, the other on the darker green. Take your time and try to move from stone to stone at the same time.  Wait until I am across before you follow, ok?” Without waiting for a reply or questions, Lepren was gaily leaping from stone to stone. Kathryn and Chakotay were amazed at the sounds from the rocks as he went from one to another.  The tones were crisp and clear and all in the same scale. They sounded like lively dance music. Kathryn glanced down at their still-joined hands, took a deep breath, looked at Chakotay and nodded that she was ready. Together they stepped on the first of the marked stones, he on the lighter green and she on the darker green. The music of the stones rang out in a simple chord.  They took the next step and heard a new combination in the same scale. Slowly and steadily they made their way across the stones, their pace increasing as their confidence increased. Intended for people with shorter arms and legs, there were several places where they were forced to walk arm in arm for several steps before moving apart again. Neither noticed Lepren watching their progress or his satisfied smile, as they remained arm in arm as they stepped off the last stone. Without speaking he turned and followed the trail back into the trees at a pace slow enough to encourage their continued close contact.

A few miles farther down the trail, they exited the woods and stood at one end of a beautiful valley filled with what appeared to be row after row of some type of crop. Lepren jumped up from a stone where he had been sitting while he waited for Kathryn and Chakotay to catch up with him. Before they reached him they had time to look at the crop in the field. The plants stood about two meters high and each one had four round leaves about 80 centimeters across. From the center of the plant grew a round fruit about the size of a small pumpkin with four smaller round protrusions. The side of the fruit near the broad stem was slightly concave and was a greenish shade of beige. The leaves were bright green – the green Kathryn remembered heralding spring in Indiana, and the fruit was a bright yellow-gold. It reminded Chakotay of a small cooking crock.

“This is one of our favorite foods, shromack, but, alas, Prechau tells me that it contains trace elements that are toxic to your species, Kathryn. These elements are present in the soil in a form that could be a hazard if conveyed to your ship, so we decided that it would be best if you did not walk across the valley. I’ve made arrangements for a cart to carry us. Until Haunle arrives, we can rest and enjoy the day.” Lepren was careful to make his seat on the larger of the rocks along the trail, leaving a smaller one for the other two to share. At first Chakotay hesitated to sit so close, but Kathryn patted the rock next to her in silent permission for him to join her. They waited only a few minutes before a wagon turned the corner of a trail that had joined theirs a few hundred yards up the mountain. The animal pulling the cart resembled a cross between a large dog and a small horse. It had short hair with a distinct greenish cast to it; its facial structure gave it the appearance of a constant grin; and it stood about a meter tall at the shoulder. Its tail wagged every time someone approached it. In the cart were two men, one clearly the expected Haunle and the other apparently unexpected but known to Lepren. Haunle wore the usual bright colors but the other man wore a drab brown robe tied with a belt. Both greeted Lepren with the exuberance that was so typical of the Temsiki.

“Haunle, well timed! Trikpa! What a pleasure to see you!” Lepren made the introductions all around and explained the purpose of their journey.

“Kathryn, Chakotay, Trikpa is almost a legend in these mountains. He is what you would call an exterminator, I think. He journeys from village to village getting rid of the small creatures unwelcome in our homes but wanted in our fields. I believe you would call them insects but he also eliminates larger animals, especially the legless ones that like to crawl into warm corners near our fireplaces. His methods date back to ancient times and are passed down from father to son. Even his clothing is from those days as is his walking staff. He is the best on our planet and has raised two sons to follow his profession who promise to be nearly as good. Now, we had best be on our way. Do you journey with us, Trikpa?”

“No, my journey leads around the valley to my sister’s village. They have need of my services and I will have a hot meal and a soft bed this night. It will be quite welcome. Good journey!”

Kathryn had the oddest feeling of deja vu watching as Trikpa turned and started off on a trail that led around the valley’s edge before Lepren herded Chakotay and her into the back of the cart before climbing up next to the driver. Lepren grinned smugly as he took his seat. He had estimated very well how much room they would need. This cart had enough room for them to sit uncomfortably crowded together or to sit very comfortably with her on his lap. It was no surprise to Lepren that they started off uncomfortably but he did not miss Kathryn’s constant fidgeting to get comfortable or Chakotay’s move after about five minuts to pull her sideways onto his lap as he shifted to the middle of the seat and put his arms around her waist. Although she opened her mouth in protest, the words died on her lips as she recognized the wisdom of Chakotay’s decision. She sat stiffly for more than ten minutes before she finally relaxed and allowed herself the luxury of leaning on his chest so her head rested against his shoulder. Lepren was content to chat quietly with Haunle on their journey across the field. The journey took about an hour.

Once across the field, Lepren jumped from the cart and started his chatting again. Once he had enthusiastically thanked Haunle for the transport, he turned to Kathryn and Chakotay. “We’re in luck. Our walk to the next village will take us about twenty minutes – just in time for lunch. I happen to know that the village is celebrating a wedding today so you will be invited to join them for lunch. It will be wonderful. You’ll get to meet many people, enjoy your meal with a friendly crowd, and drink a toast to the bride and groom.” With his typical abandon, Lepren led the way to the path leading down the mountain leaving Kathryn and Chakotay to keep up as best they could. Without realizing it, they joined hands before following Lepren.

Lepren kept up his nonstop chatter, telling anecdotes about his friends and family and throwing in the odd local legend or two. About fifteen minutes into their walk to the village he switched the topic to their wedding traditions. Nothing in his summary prepared Kathryn and Chakotay for the festival going on in the fields surrounding the village when they finally arrived. Instead of being held in a public banquet hall, the town had set up the celebration outdoors. Food and seating were under tents but most of the attendees were milling around together or dancing in a cleared area. They could see at least a dozen children sleeping under a tree on one side of the field. It looked like the odd parent or two had joined them, too. Half a dozen less somnolent children ran to greet them, shouting at Lepren to hurry. Several adults followed the children to the edge of the field and waited until their unexpected guests reached them. One man stepped forward to greet them.

“Welcome, Lepren. Leave it to you to find a reason to journey through here when we are celebrating. How did you know about the festivities? Who are your friends?”

“Easy, easy, Chaun. I keep my ears open and my mouth shut when the ladies are talking so I hear about every party in the mountains. Now, my friends, this is Chaun. Don’t mind his manners for he is an old friend of mine. Chaun, this is Kathryn and Chakotay. They are going down in the valley to trade for supplies and would appreciate a nice meal as we’ve been traveling since early morning with nary a drop to drink nor a bite to eat.”

“Enough, Lepren! I know your ways and I’ve no doubt that you’ve traveled some distance but I don’t think you’ve gone hungry or thirsty on your journey. Come, Kathryn and Chakotay, join our festivities. We are celebrating the marriage of the daughter of Eprec and Echa to a lad from the next village. You must drink a toast to their future with the rest of us before we serve lunch. This is neetop, a traditional drink that dates back more than 200 generations. Unlike our fields of shromack, this is not harmful to your species.”

Before they realized what was happening, Chakotay had been handed a large clear flagon containing a greenish liquid. They glanced around and realized that everyone near them seemed to be sharing a flagon. They listened to a long toast and each sipped from the flagon when they saw the others drink.  The beverage was a trifle bitter but still tasty and foamed if they moved the flagon too abruptly. Kathryn couldn’t be sure, but she thought it might be alcoholic. Chakotay was sure and made a point to drink very sparingly. They started to move away from the group when another man offered another toast and the group drank again. This continued for about twenty minutes until most flagons had been filled several times. Kathryn felt obliged to follow the traditions of the group and drank more at each toast; Chakotay quickly realized what was happening and continued to sip. When the toasts finally ended and they were invited to join the others at the tables, Kathryn nearly fell over. Chakotay quickly put his arm around her and led her to a nearby table. Lepren joined them almost immediately and recognized Kathryn’s problem.

“Aye, Kathryn is not used to our ways, I see. She will be fine in about half an hour after she has eaten. Make sure she does eat or she will not feel at all well later this afternoon.” Chakotay followed Lepren’s advice and made sure Kathryn ate. He also made sure she stayed away from more of the greenish liquid. They sat for only a few minutes after they ate before Lepren was again by their side saying it was time to move on. As they were leaving, Chakotay realized they had not seen anyone from the wedding party.

“Lepren, where are the bride and groom? I haven’t seen them.”

“Awwww, now. They would be over at the third village east of us today. The wedding was here three days ago and they’ve been attending the celebrations at the other area villages since then. They’ll be back here in a day or two. That is why the celebration here is so paltry. After three days, things really calm down. Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged looks that said if this was a small celebration, they did not want to see a large one.

The path out of the village was a gentle slope and the three walked while Lepren talked at length about the adventures of his friends and the legends of the mountains. Even after walking for hours, Lepren was still gamboling along like a child. The sun was almost touching the horizon when he finally announced that they were approaching the end of their journey.

“Friends! We are nearly there. We’ve only to cross a stream and round a bend before we reach the village where you will be able to negotiate for the foods you need to restock your vessel. This stream is not dangerous but is it cold and deep enough to soak you through to your skin if you fall in, so be sure to stay on the rocks. Would you be wanting a drink of cool water before we continue?”

Both Kathryn and Chakotay accepted the offer of a cool drink. Lepren was correct – the stream was extremely cold. As he had all day, Lepren then proceeded to practically dance along the large rocks that made a questionable path across the stream. The stream ran slow and deep. Chakotay took the first step, followed by Kathryn. At first the rocks were close enough together to make stepping from one to the other easy. They widened as they approached the middle of the stream. Chakotay could still get from one to the other easily with small jumps but Kathryn was soon taking a slight running start to make it from one to the other. The stones continued to get farther apart until even Chakotay was required to put some effort into each leap. The last step to the other side was the longest. Chakotay just made it then turned to help Kathryn. Kathryn’s effort got one foot to the edge of the stream but her foot slipped and she would have fallen back into the water if Chakotay hadn’t reached out and pulled her to safety. His arms were around her waist and her hands had reached around his shoulders. They stood there a minute catching their breath. Finally Kathryn looked up to his eyes. He grinned at her.

“Aren’t you going to thank me, Kathryn? I know you love baths, but I thought you preferred warm water.” Her glare drew a laugh from him. Only when he started to let go did Kathryn realize that she was still on the slippery edge of the stream bank. Their shared look was a cross between childish teasing and something Kathryn did not want label so she replied more formally than circumstances required.

“All right! Thank you, Commander.” He started to let go again and she quickly changed her formality to sincerity and friendship. “Chakotay, I’m sorry. Please don’t let me fall in now that I’ve gotten across!” He stepped back taking her with him away from the stream.

“I’ll never let you fall. Let’s go. Lepren is already halfway to the curve in the road.”

He took her hand and pulled her down the road with him. They found Lepren lounging on a rock by the path after they rounded the curve. There ahead of them they saw another village only slightly larger than the first. Kathryn had expected something significantly more elaborate.

“This is the trade center?”

“Well, there is no real trade center, but this is where the man lives that can arrange for the supplies you need. He’ll be waiting for us at the village pub.” They followed Lepren through the village to the pub. He motioned them into the pub and found a table in a relatively quiet corner before he went in search of their contact person. He returned shortly with two bowls of food, some beverages that he assured them were fresh fruit juice, and a man he introduced as Unlep. Unlep then identified the food as being samples of the vegetable they sought. Chakotay and Kathryn both reached for their bowls to sample the variety from the valley. Both nearly knocked over their glasses trying to wash the taste from their mouths. It was leola root at its best, or rather, its worst. That wonderful vegetable at the top of the mountain was a variety of leola root! They glanced at each other, knowing that they would have to trade for the leola root; Voyager needed fresh food and this was only one small step better than nothing.

“Unlep, you have no supplies of the mountain variety available at all?”

“No, I’m sorry. Our people much prefer this variety so only what is eaten up in the mountains is grown. We don’t store any from one season to the next except for seeds for the next planting. You seem disappointed.”

“To be honest, Unlep, we are.” Kathryn could see no reason to lie to the men. We have had either the same vegetable or one nearly like it before. My people much prefer your mountain variety to this one, but we need the supplies so this one will have to do for us.” They quickly reached an agreement for the vegetable Voyager would need. As they finished, Lepren brought over a vegetable stew that he promised did not contain the dreaded leola root. Chakotay tasted it first, and then nodded his approval to Kathryn before asking.

“Lepren, Prechau never did tell us how we would return to the city so we could beam back up to Voyager.”

“’Tis no problem! You can beam up from here. All that rigmarole about not using technology away from the city was to see if you would truly honor our traditions. We only trade with those who truly respect us, and by making the journey as we requested you have demonstrated that respect far more clearly than any words you could speak. Our technology is used to make our lives easier but its use is very discrete. We never allow it to interfere with our lives or to control our lives. How do you think Haunle knew when to meet us? I also let Unlep know when I rounded the bend so he could be here in good time. No one will be upset if you use your transporter whenever you like. When you’re ready to leave, just find a quiet corner in here or outside, but don’t leave without saying goodbye.” The four continued talking until Lepren was given a message. Kathryn watched him walk across the room to speak with an elderly woman carrying something in a cloth. Lepren and the woman eventually came to the table and sat down.

“Kathryn, Chakotay, this is Cia. She saw you when we walked through the village earlier. Something about you caught her attention and now she has come to talk with you.”

“Kathryn. Chakotay. When I saw you in the village, I had a feeling you were both searching for something. At first I thought it was just the usual search for food supplies but my feeling grew more intense until I finally realized that you might be searching for something described in our legends. Briefly stated, that legend says that true happiness is found in the pot of gold at the end of a journey. Your journey today has ended here and you’ve found what you came for, but I don’t believe you’ve both found what you are seeking – that happiness mentioned in our legend. Your journey has ended here and I am the holder of the pot of gold.” Cia reached under the cloth and pulled out a very old and worn metal cooking pot about thirty centimeters wide at the mouth. “This is the pot of gold. Many people think the legend means the pot is made of gold or that the happiness you seek is gold. The former is not true; the latter is rarely true and then never true for those who seek gold. But I believe there is something here for you. Are you willing to try?”

Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged looks. Would the Temsiki be more offended if they declined the offer or if they accepted and the effort failed. Chakotay stared at Kathryn until she gave a brief nod and then he turned to Cia.

“We’d be honored. What do we have to do?” Cia handed him the pot and asked him to look at it inside and out. She then asked Chakotay to hand it to Kathryn so she could also examine the pot before she continued. Both found the pot empty and said as much to the group. Lepren and Unlep watched closely, clearly curious that Cia had offered this to their visitors.

“Both of you should now put your hands over the opening of the pot so no one can see the inside, then close your eyes. Concentrate on the pot, nothing more. You will know when to remove your hands.”  Kathryn and Chakotay followed Cia’s simple instructions. After about five minutes Chakotay’s concentration on the pot broke and he moved his hand. His movement broke Kathryn’s focus and she moved as well. They glanced at Cia but she seemed undisturbed by their actions. “Look in the pot, Kathryn. What do you find?”

Kathryn glanced at Cia. The pot had been empty and no one had touched it except Kathryn and Chakotay. She picked up the pot and looked inside. She gasped and reached inside to remove something. Holding the contents in her closed fist, she handed the pot back to Cia.

“Chakotay, look!” Kathryn’s voice was quiet and awed as she opened her hand to reveal two gold rings in different sizes. Inside the larger ring was a rose and Kathryn’s name; inside the smaller ring was an identical rose and Chakotay’s name. Both stared at the rings for long minutes until Cia broke the silence.

“What is the significance of the rings?”

“You have no idea what these represent in our culture?” Kathryn’s voice was awed. The puzzled looks on the faces of their companions answered her question. “For us, they do represent happiness. Thank you.”

“Kathryn, you should know that only one out of ten find anything in the pot of gold and of those only one out of a hundred find gold. That you found gold means that this happiness is for your lifetimes. Please honor the gift that you’ve received and never doubt that whatever those rings represent is where your true happiness lies.” Cia addressed Kathryn before turning to Chakotay. “I have a feeling you understand more of what has happened than Kathryn and are more willing to accept what has been given. Because the gifts were given to you both, you both must accept the gifts or neither of you will find happiness.”

“Thank you, Cia. You will never know how much we appreciate what you’ve given us today. Now, Lepren, as much as we’ve enjoyed our journey and your company, we really need to return to our ship, but I think we need to discuss the rings privately before we do that. Would we be permitted to stroll along the village streets before we beam up?  ”

“Of course you are free to stroll our village streets, Chakotay. If you turn right as you go out the door and right at the second crossing, you’ll find yourself in the park where there are lots of lovely paths to follow.” Lepren turned to Kathryn, “Accept the happiness offered. You may never have the chance again.”

“Thank you, Lepren and Unlep. You have truly made business a pleasure for us today. Cia, I don’t have the words to thank you properly.”

Kathryn turned to Chakotay and took his arm as they left the pub. She allowed him to guide her along the streets and into the park where they wandered the paths for nearly an hour without speaking both lost in their thoughts of the day and trying to sort out their feelings about the rings. Somewhere along the way, he put his arm across her shoulders and pulled her closer to his side. 

They halted near a stream where it bubbled over rocks sending a lilting melody through the evening air.  Chakotay turned Kathryn to face him and gently kissed her, uncertain how she would react. Her response was immediate as she returned the gentle kiss. Chakotay hesitantly deepened the kiss only to find Kathryn more than willing to follow his lead. He pulled her closer and allowed himself the luxury of running his hands over her back while her hands moved to the back of his neck and held him securely.  Finally he pulled back slightly to look in her eyes, trying to read her reaction. Before he could speak, Kathryn put her fingers over his lips to silence him and smiled gently as she tapped her communicator.

“Janeway to Voyager.”

“Voyager here.”

“Two to beam up, Ensign, directly to my quarters.  Energize.”

Several hours later, Kathryn was lying in Chakotay’s arms with her head on his chest stroking his shoulder gently while he slept. Thinking over the day’s events, something that had been bothering her all day finally clicked in Kathryn’s mind.

“Computer, what is the date, Terran standard format?”

“The date is March 17, 2378.”

“St. Patrick’s Day. I guess I do have the luck of the Irish.”