Part ten of "Little blue world" - an AU series
by Jinny W
June 2001
Disclaimer: Paramount owns all. I'm just playing.
Summary: Chakotay's rescue proceeds apace, while Seska tries to manipulate a different Kazon leader.
~~~
The humans have a saying - that flattery will get you anywhere. Or was it everywhere? Seska couldn't remember the exact wording, but now more than ever she appreciated its sentiment. Her plan for advancing her position on the Nistrum ship was quite simple. Although the Kazon power structure was unnecessarily convoluted, she had managed to untangle the web of allegiances to discover who Shonah's second in command was. Then she used all her energy to flatter him, dropping none to subtle hints about Shonah's low opinion of him and her own high one.
Jimiyu, she found, was not a stupid man. Her first few conversations with the angular Kazon had taught her not to underestimate him. Although the Kazon had not impressed her thus far with their grasp of strategy (and indeed general intelligence) Jimiyu had a quick, supple mind. To her further astonishment she discovered that he was what would be considered in any culture well read. Indeed, it appeared that this façade of bookishness was the reason Shonah had chosen him as second. He apparently considered Jimiyu to be useful, but not a threat.
Seska, however, could see that despite his learning Jimiyu was no weakling. His reflexes were sharp and his physique well toned. He listened closely to others, and unlike Shonah seemed capable of holding his tongue. These characteristics combined to make him a credible leader. They also meant he was not as easily manipulated as Shonah had (at first) been.
Fortunately for Seska her own skills were equally as well developed. As the days passed her careful hints began to germinate in his mind. He spent increasing amounts of time in her presence, on the pretext of being interested in the Federation - but in reality measuring her, she suspected. One night, nearly a week after Chakotay's death, he came to her quarters.
They spoke a few words at first and then he fell silent, staring at her in an intense and curiously unnerving manner. Seska's mind quickly scanned through her options. Should she ask him directly whether he had considered challenging the Maj? Invent another rumour of crew discontent? Or fabricate another insult from Shonah's lips?
The edges of her mouth curled up into a sly smile as she made her decision. She began undoing the fastenings on the front of her tunic, then let the material slip from her shoulders and fall to the floor. Jimiyu continued to stare at her bare chest as she loosened the clasps on her trousers and slid them past her hips.
"Its funny", she said, after she had stepped out of the crumpled pants and kicked the puddle of material to one side, "but for some reason I don't feel like talking right now."
As Jimiyu moved towards her, his countenance clearly entranced, Seska fought to keep a gleam of triumph from her eyes. Males of any species, she decided, as he propelled her roughly onto the bed, were all so predictable in the end.
~~~
"That's about the fiftieth time you've read that. I don't think it's changed much."
Kathryn glanced up from the padd she was holding to see Tom in the doorway, a bottle and two glasses in his hands. Despite her tiredness, she smiled her agreement.
"I suppose so", she said, "But old habits die hard. I always read my chief engineer's reports carefully. I guess that's the scientist in me coming out."
"B'Elanna would be impressed at your diligence", he said, slipping into an empty seat and unburdening himself.
"B'Elanna would make a fine chief engineer", she said, putting the padd down on the table.
Tom looked up sharply at that. "On a Starfleet ship?" He laughed quickly. "I mean, not that I don't think she's capable. But don't you think she'd have a problem with the discipline?"
"Probably", Kathryn admitted. "But I read her Starfleet records before we left for the Badlands. They were in the file on Chakotay's cell. Some of her instructors at the Academy spoke very highly of her. One said he would even support her reapplication if she decided to return."
"Really?" Tom shook his head in surprise. "Well, she's the smartest woman I've ever met. Present company excepted of course."
"Naturally," she said, smiling.
"The things you learn when you actually read what you're supposed to read", Tom remarked, as he uncorked the bottle.
"B'Elanna's analysis of the Kazon systems is very impressive", she said. "I'll be interested to see what she makes of those other specs when we get back. Especially the transwarp drive." She peered curiously at the drink. "What's in the bottle? Something Neelix brought along?"
"Thankfully, no", Tom said, beginning to pour. "Rexal had it in storage. It's something called Labhruinn wine. From what I gather it's a lot like brandy, but much stronger."
"You'd better make mine half a glass then."
"If you insist".
He slid the glass towards her then filled his own.
"What shall we drink to?" he asked, raising the glass.
"All the brilliant women you know?" she suggested.
"How about to our cunning rescue?"
"Alright", she conceded, "to our cunning rescue."
They clinked their glasses, then each took a tentative swallow. Kathryn coughed involuntarily as the burning liquid trickled down her throat.
"Wow", said Tom, "or as Murphy would say, 'Blimey'."
"Blimey indeed", she said, taking a smaller sip. "But I'm not sure cunning is quite the right adjective."
"Oh?"
"We don't really have a well thought out plan, do we?" she said. "Apart from being in a completely different ship. We just know we want to get close enough to get on board and find Chakotay."
Tom shrugged. "We're cunning because of our spontaneity", he said. "You can't be full of derring-do if you've worked it all out ahead of time."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh please."
"At least we've got these", Tom said, tapping the device clipped onto his belt. Kathryn glanced down at the portable site-to-site transporter that they both wore, and nodded her agreement.
"I forgot the Talaxians didn't have transporter technology when Rexal first offered to help", she admitted.
"We should have known that the Maquis would have handy things like this though", Tom observed.
"I guess so".
She lapsed into silence, sipping slowly from her glass. Now that the initial shock had worn off, she found the warm sensation in her throat quite pleasant. Somewhere in the back of her mind a sensible voice suggested that she should inquire about the alcohol content, but for some reason she didn't feel like it.
"Rexal said we should be at the Nistrum ship's previous position by early tomorrow morning", Tom said, breaking the stillness, "and she doesn't expect that they'll have gone far. As far as they know, we don't have any way of finding them."
Kathryn nodded slowly. "It's taken us four days to get here", she said, counting the time off on her fingers, "so that means Chakotay has been missing for", she frowned and recounted, "ten days now." She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "He must know by now that Seska betrayed us, even if he doesn't know the whole story."
As if hearing her unspoken concern, Tom said, "I'm sure they're not mistreating him."
She eyed him with a mirthless smile. "Are you?" she said. "I'm not. I wouldn't put it past Seska to blow him out of an airlock."
"He'll be fine", Tom said, with a firm note of conviction he didn't entirely feel. "B'Elanna said he can take care of himself."
Kathryn couldn't help snorting. "I can take care of myself", she said, "that doesn't mean that I don't think that my mother is worried sick about what's happened to me."
Tom watched her for a moment before responding. "Does he know how you feel about him?" he asked.
She met his eyes, surprised by the question. She chewed on her lip irritably before saying, "Why is everybody on the Liberty so convinced that there's something going on between us? First B'Elanna, then Tuvok, now you."
Tom's eyebrow shot up at the mention of Tuvok, but he didn't comment on it. "Isn't there?" he said.
"No."
Tom continued to regard her with an unerringly shrewd expression.
"There isn't", she added, a tone of defensiveness creeping into her voice.
Tom was silent for a while before answering her. "I guess", he said slowly, "that people are being misled by that facial expression of yours."
She glared at him. "Which expression is that?"
"The one which looks like you're missing one of your best friends."
She forced herself to laugh, an oddly hollow sound. "Can you be such close friends with someone you've known for less than two months?" she asked.
"Of course you can", he said dismissively. "If you see each other all the time. If you spend hours talking If you have meals together almost every day. If you-"
"Alright", she said, holding up her hand, "I get the point."
She started to rotate her nearly empty glass in an anti-clockwise circle on the table top. "We had a fight the last time I spoke to him alone", she said eventually.
"About what?"
She sighed. "Harry. And Seska. Seska mostly. He accused me of not wanting to believe Harry lied to us because I favour the Starfleet crew over the Maquis. He said that's why I still didn't trust Seska."
Tom snorted. "I wouldn't trust Seska if she was in a Starfleet uniform. And that's not true anyway. You had good reason not to trust her."
"I know", she said softly.
"And you were right", he added.
She held out her glass for another drink. "Sometimes Tom," she said, "it isn't so great being right."
He eyed her keenly for a moment, then refilled her glass. "I wouldn't know about that", he said, as he topped up the contents of his own, "I spend way too much time surrounded by these ingenious women who always seem to get there first."
She picked up her glass with a wry smile. "I'll tell B'Elanna you said that."
Tom grinned at her as he raised his glass in another toast. "Let's drink to B'Elanna", he said, "the best chief engineer not in Starfleet."
Despite her unease, Kathryn couldn't help laughing as she echoed his toast.
~~~
Rexal straightened herself in her command chair as she prepared to open a visual link to the Nistrum ship. She risked a small glance towards Neelix, who stood monitoring a console on the far corner of her bridge. He smiled at her warmly, and nodded his encouragement. Rexal returned the smile, although a little more weakly, and turned her attention back to the screen. When the Nistrum ship responded to her hail, she stifled a gasp of astonishment. An austere looking woman glared back at her, contempt clearly written across her face.
"What do you want with the Nistrum, Talaxian?" she demanded.
Rexal forced herself to speak calmly. "I wish to speak to Maj Shonah".
The woman's expression didn't change, although an odd look seemed to flicker across her eyes at the mention of his name. She was silent for a few moments. When Rexal thought she was not going to respond, she replied.
"Shonah is no longer the leader of the Nistrum. We have a new Maj."
Rexal thought quickly, trying all the while to keep any surprise from her face. Had there been a coup onboard the Nistrum ship during the previous week? Had this Seska woman been involved? Neelix had warned of her deviousness, and she noted the woman had used the word "we". Her previous plan - offering to sell the Maj some of her more precious cargo - no longer seemed appropriate. Her knowledge of Kazon politics suggested to her that the Maj was more than likely dead. In such a situation, the new Maj would be busy consolidating his hold on the clan, and would be less likely to be interested in business as usual.
"I see", she said placidly. "May I speak with the new Maj?"
From the corner of her eye she could see Neelix watching her with a concerned expression. She kept her bearing straight, and attempted to convey a confidence she didn't quite feel.
"I speak for the Maj", the woman replied. "What do you want?"
"My name is Rexal", she said, "and I've come to collect a debt that Shonah owes me."
She could sense Neelix's eyes widening at her bold deception, and she did her best to ignore him.
Seska's eyes narrowed, but her tone had lost some of its suspicion. "The former Maj's debts are not ours to repay", she declared.
Rexal said a silent thankyou to the friend who'd insisted she learn more about the Kazon if she wanted to trade in their space.
"Oh but it is", she said, keeping her voice steady. "By Kazon law the new Maj takes on the debts of the old, as well as his other responsibilities".
She placed a slight amount of emphasis on the word "other", noting that Seska flinched involuntarily as she sensed her double meaning. She smiled inwardly at the correctness of her guesswork. So, she thought, this woman thinks she can manipulate the Nistrum by taming a new leader. She could benefit from some of the instruction in Kazon history that Rexal herself had undertaken.
"What is this debt?" the woman asked eventually.
Rexal chose a figure at random. "He owes me five crates of rellamite ore."
"I will speak with Jimiyu", the woman said curtly, then severed the connection.
Rexal felt some of the tension drain from her body, and she rested back in her seat.
"I see you're still the quick thinker", Neelix observed, eyeing her with admiration.
Rexal smiled tightly at the compliment, but quickly sobered. "You're friend is also a quick thinker, I believe", she observed, "so we had better be ready for an unusual response." As Neelix nodded, she added, "Was that enough time?"
He dipped his head again. "Yes. Kathryn and Tom are both safely aboard."
"Good". She stretched her arms above her head. "Let's hope they find what they're looking for directly, before this woman talks to someone who knows that Maj Shonah has not even met me, never mind put himself in my debt." She began typing furiously on her console. "And that they give me time to forge this transaction record."
"If Seska has just taken control of that ship", Neelix said, thinking hard, "then she might be busy fighting off any challengers. Perhaps she won't risk her position by asking everyone about you."
"Perhaps". Rexal sounded unconvinced. "But I would not underestimate her. I suspect she is holding the new Maj tightly under her thumb."
Neelix grunted. "She looks different already", he observed, "less like a Bajoran."
Rexal frowned at him. "What do you mean?"
"She was disguised as a Bajoran, but our doctor discovered she really belongs to another race whom the Bajorans were at war with. It looks like she has began altering her physiology to return to her natural face."
Rexal eyed him wordlessly for a moment. "These are some interesting friends you have fallen in with, Neelix."
Neelix opened his mouth to respond, but a member of Rexal's crew interrupted him.
"Excuse me", he said, from his position hunched over a nearby console, "but I'm receiving a signal from some kind of transceiver device."
Rexal stopped what she was working on and moved over to look at his station. "What kind of signal?"
"I don't recognise it. But it appears to be emanating from a patch of debris that's orbiting this planet."
Neelix joined them and peered over his shoulder at the monitor display. "I recognise it", he said, "That's a Federation signal."
Rexal glanced at him sharply. "Why would one of your friends' transceivers be floating in this part of space?"
"I don't know. We haven't been anywhere near here." He shrugged. "Maybe Seska stole it for the Nistrum. Though why it would be down there, I don't know."
Rexal straightened. "As I understand it, Seska is not the most popular person onboard their ship at the moment."
"No, she isn't", he agreed. "Why?"
Rexal pointed to a repeating series of numbers on the screen. "Because this signal is being sent by someone who is trying to contact the Liberty."
~~~
Jimiyu watched Seska pace across the room with a curiously placid expression, as though he were watching a family pet. Had Seska noticed this she might have been concerned, but as it was, her mind was occupied. After a minute more of silent tramping she stopped and swung to face him.
"You're telling me this Talaxian is correct? That we owe her five crates of whatever that stuff was?"
Jimiyu shrugged with irritating nonchalance. "Rellamite ore. She is correct, by Kazon law. If a Maj is deposed then his unpaid debts fall to the one who chooses to succeed him."
Seska glared at him. "What kind of a stupid rule is that?"
"Evidently one that you do not agree with", he remarked.
"But why?" she asked. "Where did it come from?"
"It is meant to deter those who do not have the ability to rule from taking on the responsibility too lightly. One who forcibly deposes a leader can gain riches by taking on his property." He shrugged again. "But if the Maj is in debt, he also takes on the debt."
Seska shook her head in bewilderment. "That doesn't make sense."
"It is our law." Jimiyu's voice had taken on a hint of steel. "Although", he added more mildly, "I must admit I was not aware that Shonah owed anyone such a sum."
Seska stared at him suspiciously. "Is there anyone who did know?"
Jimiyu frowned at her. "The Talaxian woman knew."
"Apart from her", she said in irritation. "Someone else who can corroborate her story. A Kazon."
"I don't know."
Seska sighed in exasperation. "Then what's to stop anyone coming along after a Maj has been deposed and claiming they are owed money when they really aren't?"
"They must provide proof of the transaction", Jimiyu said. "A recording of a verbal or written agreement" He gestured at a nearby console. "This woman has sent me such a contract. Besides," he added, "you said this woman didn't know that the Maj had been deposed. She arrived asking to speak with Shonah."
Seska managed to keep her voice steady. "Maybe she was pretending", she muttered. "And maybe the document is forged."
Jimiyu eyed her for a moment before responding. "Your world is very full of deception, I think", he said.
Seska was formulating a response to that when the bridge doors swung open. A heavy set Kazon guard entered, and bobbed his head towards Jimiyu.
"Maj", he said respectfully, ignoring Seska, "we have captured two spies who were skulking around the ship."
"What spies?"
The man gestured with his forearm and another two guards stepped onto the bridge, propelling two figures before them.
"Janeway", Seska hissed, stepping towards them.
"Hello Seska", Tom said lightly, "so good to see you again."
Jimiyu frowned as he looked over the two humans. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
Kathryn shot Tom a quick look. His expression told her that he too had noticed the genuine puzzlement in the Kazon's voice.
"Have you come to reclaim her?" he went on, gesturing at Seska.
Kathryn gaped at him blankly for a moment, then stared in confusion at Seska.
"Her?" she managed eventually. "No. If she's chosen to stay with your crew, then that's her decision."
"Then why are you here?"
Seska spoke up, a gleeful expression slinking across her face. "They don't know yet, Jimiyu."
"Know what?" Tom asked.
"They're here for Chakotay", Seska told the Maj. She eyed the two prisoners, her hands resting on her hips in an odd echo of Janeway's command stance.
Jimiyu barked out a short laugh. "Of course", he said, "how foolish of me to forget. Your human man-friend."
Kathryn looked from one to the other, determined not to be intimidated by their odd behaviour. They had come this far to find Chakotay, and they weren't going to leave without him.
"Where is he?" she demanded.
Seska smirked at her, savouring the moment. "He's dead".
Kathryn stared at her blankly. "What?"
"He's dead", she repeated. "He tried to flee the ship in an escape pod six days ago, and Shonah ordered it destroyed. They fired, it exploded. Simple."
Kathryn felt curiously light headed. She opened her mouth to speak but no sound emerged. Almost as if trying to hold her eyes open underwater, she could see Seska turn to the Kazon beside her and whisper something. The Kazon seemed to disagree, and they hissed incomprehensible words to each other while she watched helplessly. She was dimly aware of Tom beside her, tugging on her arm and softly saying her name.
"I don't believe it", she mumbled.
Unbidden, a series of random images had started to parade through her mind. She could see Chakotay as she first met him, his eyes narrowed in suspicion as they discussed the mysterious array. She saw him sitting beside her on the mess hall floor, their knees touching as they listened to Samantha singing. She saw him watching her hair, smiling as he told her he thought it was lovely. She saw the sadness in his eyes as they spoke about Harry; later how they twinkled when he teased Neelix. She saw herself leaning forward to kiss him that night in the hydroponics bay. She saw the two of them deep in conversation, eyeing each other speculatively as they spent an evening together in his quarters.
Overlaying the jumble of images came a confusion of sounds. Kes spoke to her warmly about Chakotay's ability to connect with people. She could hear B'Elanna's joking but serious voice telling her, "he's a terrorist, not a teddy bear." Later, B'Elanna was saying, "You miss him, don't you?" and "why don't you admit it?"
I did admit it, she thought numbly. At least, I admitted it to myself. But it was too late. I didn't have the chance to do anything about it. And if you did? she asked herself. What would you have done? Dithered about command protocol? Tried to remain detached, or even worse, 'just friends'?
She recognized the dullness that was settling over her mind. She'd felt this way before, had lost people dear to her. Through her detachment she could feel Tom closing his fingers around her arm and squeezing, though whether he was offering support or merely trying to get her attention she couldn't tell.
She slowly turned her eyes towards him and saw that he was mouthing something. It looked like, "I don't believe her."
She shook her head slightly as her vision blurred. She felt hot tears threaten to spill down from her eyes, then she remembered where she was. I won't cry in front of Seska, she told herself. I won't give her the satisfaction.
Almost as if the words became a mantra, she could feel her head start to clear. She realised, as if coming up from under the water, that Seska and the Kazon were still arguing - apparently about what to do with them. The Kazon's responses didn't make much sense to her.
"Do you know how much rellamite ore is worth?" he was saying.
"We need to corroborate her story", Seska replied, equally as obscurely. "Besides, I've been waiting for this chance. I won't just let her go". Given that she gestured furiously at Janeway as she spoke, the meaning of that remark was fairly clear.
Kathryn found her voice at last. "Did you kill Chakotay?" she demanded.
Seska turned to her, as if surprised by a mute suddenly speaking. "No", she said shortly. "I told you, he tried to escape. The Maj -" she quickly corrected herself "- the former Maj killed him."
Kathryn could feel her insides being thawed by a new feeling. She recognized it - it was fury.
"I don't believe you", she growled, taking a step closer towards them. The Kazon guard behind her jabbed her in the back with his weapon to remind her of his proximity.
Seska met her stare with an inscrutable expression. "I don't really care what you think."
"But you did care what *he* thought, didn't you?" she went on, her voice low. "Despite your protestations to the contrary, I think you did care. You'd been lying to him about who you were for years now. No wonder you weren't on our side", she hissed angrily, "you were never on his side. Cardassian pig".
Kathryn spat on the floor in front of Seska, a gesture which seemed to startle everyone in the room, including Tom. Seska stared at her, nonplussed. Jimiyu was watching Seska carefully, waiting to see how she responded.
"I don't have to listen to you anymore", Seska said eventually, her voice icy cold.
"No, but you will listen", Kathryn said. "I know how you tried to manipulate him Probably the same way you're trying to manipulate your new friends." She gestured at the Kazon as she spoke, then turned to address the Maj. "Made herself comfortable in your bed yet?" she asked. "That's what she does, you know, when she wants something."
"Be quiet", Seska hissed.
Tom eyed Kathryn uneasily. "Do you know what you're doing?" he whispered.
"You killed him", Kathryn continued, ignoring him. "Maybe you didn't push the button yourself, but this is all your fault. You sold our technology to the Kazon. You chose to leave the Liberty. You were the reason they kidnapped him. You're responsible for his death."
Seska gritted her teeth, and Kathryn could see she was rattled. "Shut up".
"Can't handle the truth?"
"I didn't kill him."
"Liar."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"And you're a murdering bitch."
Seska snapped, her hand reaching out to slap Kathryn forcefully across the cheek. She swung for another punch, but Jimiyu grabbed her arm and held her back. Although Kathryn's face was smarting, she stared at them both with a triumphant gleam in her eye.
"No wonder he left you", she muttered disdainfully. "You're just another Cardassian whore."
Seska roared with anger and tried to wrench herself free from Jimiyu's grasp. He held onto her arm even tighter, trying to pull her away from the two humans. She snapped back with a sweeping kick that knocked his feet from under him. As Jimiyu fell the Kazon guards reacted. One shifted his aim from Kathryn's back, and stepped beside her to point his weapon straight at Seska.
"Keep still, woman", he ordered.
Seska froze in place. Tom stared at the strange tableau around him. The guards now had their weapons pointed at him, Kathryn and Seska. All seemed to hold their breath as they waited for the Maj to react. Jimiyu pushed himself to his feet, brushing down his trousers.
"I would suggest", he said coldly to Seska, "that you do not do that in future."
Still breathing heavily, she blinked at him, as if feeling a step behind what had just happened. Jimiyu jerked his head towards the two prisoners.
"Take them to a holding cell. Not the same one the other human escaped from."
Kathryn looked up sharply at that, but could read nothing from his face. The Maj pushed past them and left the bridge without a backward glance at Seska. As the guards hurried them along the corridor, Tom asked beneath his breath. "What was that all about?"
"I was making her angry."
"I could see that. Why? Trying to get us killed as well?"
"The Kazon don't respect women", she hissed back. "Seska must be driving herself mad trying to play all meek and mild, making the Maj think he's in control. I wanted to show him how she really behaves."
"Clever", he whispered admiringly.
She shook her head slightly. "You can flatter me when we get ourselves out of this mess."
Tom risked a glance behind him at the Kazon guards' surly faces.
"Agreed", he said. "Now, it's time for some more cunning, I think."
~~~
end of part ten
~ read part eleven ~
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