Course Correction Studio

Category: More Than a Lifetime

  • Graduation – Chapter 2. Prep

    As Dani stood on the Academy athletic field during the graduation ceremony, she was reminded that Emma Shale hadn’t been the only one who had given her a difficult time during her tenure at the Academy. There’d been a certain instructor that had given her hell…

    xxx

    “Way too slow, Cadet. Ten laps around the track.”

    That’s impossible, Dani thought. She had shaved seconds off the time it’d taken her to assemble her rifle.

    Dani looked up at her prep squad instructor, Commander Nimembeh.

    “When I give an order, you follow it immediately. That’s fifteen laps,” Nimembeh ordered.

    “In my uniform and boots?” Dani asked.

    “Make that twenty.”

    Dani stood. Nimembeh had been on her back since prep squad training had begun almost two weeks ago, and she wasn’t going to stand for it any longer. “No, sir,” she said defiantly.

    “What did you say, Cadet?”

    “I said no sir,” Dani repeated. “I will not comply.”

    “30,” Nimembeh said, increasing the number of laps Dani was supposed to run. But Dani didn’t move, so he increased them again. “40.”

    “Are you just going to stand there adding laps? If you are, then you’re wasting your breath.”

    Nimembeh stepped up to Dani and nearly placed his eyeballs on hers. But Dani didn’t even blink. The other cadets in the room watched on nervously. They all knew that their classmate was walking a thin line, openly defying an order, and it looked to them like she was about to fall off that line.

    “Is that so, Cadet?” Nimembeh asked Dani. “Meet me at the track at 2400 hours, Cadet.” Nimembeh stepped back and started to walk away. “If you value your prospective career in Starfleet, you’ll be there.”

    xxx

    At midnight, it was pouring down rain in San Francisco. Commander Nimembeh circled Dani like a hawk.

    “I’ve seen plenty of your kind in my time as a prep squad instructor, Cadet,” he began. “Starfleet brats flanked by the brass.”

    Dani stared straight ahead while Nimembeh continued. “Your mother may be a captain. Your father may be a commander. Your boyfriend may be a commander. But you know what? I don’t care. I don’t care who your parents are. To me, you’re just another cadet.” He stopped walking. He was boring a hole into the side of Dani’s face. She wanted to look at him. She wanted to push him away. But she just kept staring at the nothingness in front of her. Dani was going to have to give this up. She wasn’t going to win this one.

    “On the ground, on my mark,” Nimembeh ordered. “Since you don’t want to run laps, let’s see how pushups suit you. Mark!”

    Without hesitation, Dani fell to the ground. Nimembeh began counting as Dani began pushing herself up. “One, two, three…”

    xxx

    Dani trudged into her room, wet, tired, and sore. After she’d regained feeling in her upper body, her arms had taken on the characteristics of dead weights. She looked across the dark room and her roommate, sleeping soundly in her bed, and envied her. Dani pulled the soaked jacket she’d donned in a feeble attempt to deflect the rain. She realized just how feeble the attempt had been when she found that she was wet through and through despite the jacket. She tossed the jacket to the floor, pulled of her soggy boots and socks and fell into bed, soaked and all.

    xxx

    The next day at lunch, Dani could hardly keep her eyes open. She may have fallen into bed soaked, but she knew she couldn’t sleep in that state. She’d had to get up and change. By the time she’d actually fallen asleep, it had to have been well after 2:00 in the morning.

    Emery sat down across from Dani. They were seeing each other for the first time since the night before.

    “What time did you finally get in last night?” Emery asked.

    “This morning,” Dani corrected groggily. “I got in at about 1:30. I couldn’t get to sleep until after two.”

    “You didn’t get in until 1:30?” Emery asked. “What did he have you doing?”

    “Push-ups.”

    “The whole time?”

    Dani nodded. “Yep.”

    “Ouch.”

    “Yeah. Right now, my shoulders feel like they’re about to fall off.”

    As if the fact that Dani was sleepy and sore weren’t enough, Emma Shale and her little clique surrounded her and Emery at their table. “Damn it,” Dani muttered.

    Emma and Dani had had a short but colorful history during their prep squad training at the Academy. Almost from the very first day of training, Emma had found it her duty to make Dani’s life a living hell. It was now the last day of training, and apparently, Emma wasn’t showing any signs that she was going to let up any.

    “Hello, Dani,” Emma said, sweetly. As an afterthought, she added, “Emery.”

    Dani didn’t give Emma the satisfaction of an answer. She didn’t even want to look at her, but she did glance at her for a few moments before continuing her meal. Emma continued just the same.

    “I, uh, I heard that Commander Nimembeh worked you pretty hard last night,” Emma said. Dani continued to eat. Emery looked at Dani and then at Emma. She looked back down at her lunch and continued to eat also.

    “You just love those commanders, don’t you?” Emma continued. “Aren’t you the naughty one? And greedy, too. You’ve already got one all to yourself. Do you really need another?”

    At that last comment, Dani dropped her fork and looked at Emma. “Are you implying something, Cadet?” Dani asked with an air of authority.

    “No,” Emma said. “Not at all.”

    Dani picked up her fork again and was about to continue her lunch when Emma added, “Just stating the facts.”

    Dani stood, picked up her tray, and started to walk away from the table all in a single movement. Emery rose and followed. So did Emma. Dani slung her tray into the recycler in the wall. Emery followed suit. They turned around and found Emma.

    “Look, what do you want?” Dani asked. She was getting pretty fed up with this, and she didn’t exactly want to spend the next four years putting up with any of it.

    “You’re not going to make it, Dani,” Emma said. “People who get in on the merits of their families and…friends never do.”

    “I took the tests the same as everyone else here,” Dani said.

    “That doesn’t mean jack,” Emma insisted. “You’re going to fail, Dani, and I’m going to be here to watch when you do.”

    “If anyone here got in because of their family and is going to fail, it’s you. I think you’re the one who should be called into question here, Miss I-Should-Get-Special-Treatment-Because-My-Father’s -Brass. Now when you earn something on your own merit, then you step to me with a case. Until then…”

    Dani watched Emma and friends walk away from her and Emery.

    xxx

    The remainder of Dani’s first semester had gone by somewhat uneventfully. She had still suffered her occasional bouts with Emma, but nothing too serious had transpired.

    Thinking back, Dani realized that not everything that happened at the Academy had been bad. She remembered that at the end of the first semester, she and a group of friends had celebrated by going camping…

  • Graduation – Chapter 1. Leaving Indiana

    It should’ve been one of the happiest days of her life. Instead, it ended up being one of the worst.

    “At ease, cadets,” Rear Admiral Camden instructed. The multitude of graduating cadets on the large athletic field simultaneously shifted to the ‘at-ease’ position. It was graduation day at Starfleet Academy. 24-year-old Danielle Janeway, along with three hundred of her classmates were about to become Starfleet ensigns. But Dani was miserable. She was about to leave her closest friends for a science post on Deep Space Nine. That wasn’t the cause of her melancholy demeanor, though.

    As Adm. Camden spoke, Dani searched the audience for her parents. Chakotay and Kathryn Janeway were seated in the alumni section along with the other Starfleet parents. Dani allowed herself a little smile. Her parents were the picture of pride, both of them beaming.

    Dani’s eyes wondered over the crowd, and she realized that he was here, as well. She hadn’t expected him to be there. Her eyes fell to the grass as she remembered times when they’d been happier, like when she’d moved into her residence hall. He’d been there, then. She remembered that day very well…

    xxx

    Dani slipped her last data PADD into her suitcase and shut it. “I guess that’s everything,” she said. “I hope that’s everything.”

    “Dani, the transport will be here any minute, now,” her mother called from somewhere in the house. “Are you almost ready?”

    “Just about,” the 20-year-old called in reply. As she stood going over the imaginary list in her head, she didn’t notice her father approach the bedroom doorway.

    “Don’t worry; you’ve got everything,” Chakotay said.

    Dani turned to the doorway to face Chakotay. “I know,” she said.

    “Besides, if you arrive and you realize that you are missing something, we can always send it to you,” Chakotay reminded his only daughter.

    “Yeah.” Dani brought her suitcase to an upright position.

    Chakotay stepped into the room. “Are you nervous?”

    “No, not really,” Dani replied. “I’m excited, though.”

    “That’s good. There’s a lot to be excited about. Academy life is…unique. I suspect it’s unlike anything else you’ll ever experience.”

    “I know,” Dani said.

    “Dani, I just want you to know that your mother and I are very proud of you. We’ve always been proud of you, but especially now.”

    “Because I’m going to the Academy?”

    “Partially. But that’s not the only reason. Dani, we’re proud of you for everything you’ve done in your life. You didn’t have an ordinary childhood. You know that. You’ve had to mature very quickly, more so than your peers. We’re just proud of you for handling it so well.” He and Dani hugged each other.

    “I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without you or Mom,” Dani said.

    “I know that there’s a lot of Starfleet in our family,” Chakotay began, “and that you’ve been around it all your life, but I don’t want you to feel as if you’re at all obligated to go to the Academy. Your mother and I only want you to go if it’s what you want to do.”

    “It is, Dad,” Dani said earnestly. “This is the life that I want.”

    Chakotay nodded. “Let’s go then.”

    xxx

    Move-in day at the Academy-probably one of the busiest days on campus. Besides move out day.

    Dani walked down the hallway, looking for her assigned room number, 419.

    “409, 410…” Dani said, searching the walls. Her mother and father, and Will Riker were a few paces behind her. “418, 419,” Dani said. She peered through the open door. Someone, her roommate, she assumed, had obviously started moving in. Suitcases already occupied one of the two beds in the room. Dani walked over to the unclaimed one and put her suitcase on it. Her three followers did the same.

    “Well, what do you think?” Kathryn asked Dani.

    “It’s not bad,” Dani replied. “It’ll just take some getting used to.”

    “It’s nicer that what I had my freshman year,” Will input.

    A girl carrying a box entered and froze the instant she saw the room’s new occupants. She immediately placed the box on the bed and stood at attention.

    “At ease, cadet,” Kathryn gently said, as the highest-ranking officer in the room. The young woman relaxed noticeably.

    Dani stepped forward, offering her hand. “Hi. I’m Dani Janeway,” she said.

    The girl just stood there, unmoving. Dani didn’t quite know what to do. The girl seemed petrified. “Um..” Dani managed.

    “You’re my roommate?” the girl blurted.

    “Yes; Dani Janeway,” Dani said, emphasizing her outstretched hand. The girl hesitantly took Dani’s hand and weakly shook it. “And your name is…”

    The girl realized that she had neglected to mention her name. “Oh, sorry. Emery Bell.”

    “Pleased to meet you, Emery,” Dani said.

    Emery let go of Dani’s hand and just stared in amazement at the people standing before her. Legends, practically.

    “Emery, this is my mother, Captain Kathryn Janeway, my father, Commander Chakotay, and Commander William Riker,” Dani introduced. Emery shook hands with each of them in turn. She stepped back, awed.

    “Wow…” she said. Will, Dani, Chakotay, and Kathryn all looked at each other.

    “Well, it seems that you two have a lot to talk about,” Chakotay said. “So, we’ll let you get settled.”

    “Oh…”Dani trailed off, following her parents and Will out of the room and into the hallway, where she hugged her father. It was time for them to leave.

    “Remember to keep your focus,” Chakotay said, offering some final words of advice. “But have fun, too.”

    “I will,” Dani said.

    “And remember that we’ll be there if you need anything,” Kathryn reminded her. “Don’t hesitate to call or send us a message.”

    “I will.” Dani hugged and kissed her parents for what must’ve been the hundredth time. Chakotay and Kathryn looked at their daughter one last time before their eyes fell on Will. They then left him and Dani alone.

    Will took Dani’s hands into his own.

    “Well, this is it,” he said.

    “I know,” Dani said. For the past three months, Will Riker had been a staple in her life. After Voyager had returned to the Alpha Quadrant, they’d embarked on a relationship that’d had a bumpy start due to some initial objections from Dani’s father. But eventually, things had smoothed over and Dani and Will had been able to proceed with their relationship as any other couple would. Except Dani and Will were not any other couple. Voyager’s return from the Delta Quadrant had riveted the crew of the ship to celebrity status with the press. They were constantly being dogged by the media. The public had been especially fascinated by Dani. After Voyager had left, Dani had been reported as missing by her family on Earth. They hadn’t known that she was on Voyager, and a massive search had been organized in an effort to find her. Everyone had been surprised and relieved when Voyager had first been contacted, and it’d been discovered that Dani had been there the whole time.

    So Dani’s relationship with Will had developed under the eye of the Federation News Service and other news organizations.

    “These past few months have been heaven for me,” Will continued. He’d been on leave for the past few months while the Enterprise had undergone refits and maintenance on her systems. Now, his leave was coming to the end, as the Enterprise would be embarking on its next mission in a matter of days. Boy was he ever glad he’d decided to stay on Earth instead of spending his leave somewhere else.

    “Me, too,” Dani said mirroring Will’s statement.

    “Part of me doesn’t want to let you go, you know,” Will admitted.

    “I know. But you’ve got the Enterprise, and I’ve got this.”

    “What if I told you that I didn’t want the Enterprise, and that all I want is you?”

    Dani smiled and shook her head. “What if you told me that?”

    Will nodded. “Yeah.”

    “I’d tell you that you were lying. The Enterprise means the world to you. You’ve spent the bulk of your career there.”

    “Which is why I wouldn’t mind giving it up for you.”

    “You’ve always wanted that command, Will. I find it hard to believe that you would just throw it away.”

    Will laughed. “Me, too. But I would. If you asked me to.”

    “I could never do that to you. I know your career is important to you, no matter what you tell me here and now.”

    “You’re right – it is important. But it’s starting to pale in comparison to you.” With that, Will bent down and kissed Dani’s lips. “I love you, Dani.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his body.

    “I love you,” Dani replied.

    “I think it’s only fair that I warn you beforehand – these first few weeks, I’m probably going to be calling you every hour.”

    Dani laughed. She looked up and Will with tears in her eyes, and he wiped away her them with his fingers. They hugged each other again and kissed one last time before parting ways. Dani didn’t even cast a final glance and Will as she walked into her room because she knew that she wouldn’t be able to let him go if she did. He looked after her as she broke away from him and walked back into her room.

    Dani looked at Emery. It was different, now that her parents and Will were actually gone. She’d never really been away from both of her parents on a long-term basis before. She’d always imagined how Academy life would be and how it would feel when her parents left her, but she didn’t imagine that she’d feel this way, like she didn’t know what to do next.

    “So,” Dani began, “where are you from?”

    “New York,” Emery replied.

    “City?” Dani asked. One of the few things about Academy life that had caused her apprehension was roommate assignments. Protocol prohibited roommate changes unless serious problems arose. The idea was to get the cadets to work out their own problems. That didn’t always work.

    “Yeah,” Emery said in reply to Dani’s question.

    “I’m from-“

    “Indiana,” Emery said, beaming. “I know.”

    Dani almost asked how she knew, but then she remembered who she was. She laughed. “Yeah, I guess just about everybody knows that, don’t they?”

    “Yeah,” Emery said.

    The door chimed. Both young women looked at it. “Come in,” they both said. The doors slid open and two young women walked in.

    “Hi,” one of them said. “My name is Elizabeth Crawley, and this is my roommate, T’Lo. We live across the hall.”

    T’Lo was obviously Vulcan, with the customary closely-cropped Vulcan haircut and Vulcan calm. Elizabeth was tall, taller than either Emery or Dani, with long, blonde hair that was pulled back into a neat ponytail.

    “Hi,” Dani said. “This is my roommate Emery Bell.” Emery shook hands with the new neighbors. “I’m-“

    “Dani Janeway,” Elizabeth said, cutting Dani’s introduction short. “I know. Oh, my gosh – we’ve heard so much about you.”

    “I can imagine so,” Dani said.

    “I can’t believe you’re living across the hall from us,” Elizabeth said. The girls seemed to be somewhat in awe. Dani nodded. “So, where are you from?” she asked Elizabeth.

    “London,” Elizabeth replied. “You’re from Indiana, I know, but it must’ve been amazing spending seven years on a starship.”

    “Yes,” T’Lo agreed. “It must have been quite an experience for you.”

    “Yeah, wel,l it was just like being on board any other starship – only longer,” Dani explained.

    Just then, Emma Shale make her grand entrance into Dani’s life for the first, but certainly not the last, time. She entered the room, her little entourage following at her heels. She entered and approached Dani as if she were granting her the privilege of meeting her.

    “Hi,” Emma said. “Emma Shale.” She held her hand out to Dani in a sort of royal manner. Dani took it and shook it.

    “Hi,” Dani said. “Dani Janeway.”

    “I know,” Emma said. Dani considered skipping her intro from now on. It just seemed pointless, since everyone already know her anyway. “Have you put in your request for a room change, yet?”

    “I was under the impression that changes in room assignments were not permitted,” Dani said.

    “Only in special cases,” Emma informed Dani. “This is a special case.”

    “How so?”

    “You’re Dani Janeway, and I’m Emma Shale,” she said. “It’s only natural that we room together.”

    Dani looked at the others in the room. She was oblivious as to why she and Emma should be so special, but everyone else seemed to know. “Why?” Dani asked Emma.

    Emma laughed a little. “Why not? I’m an admiral’s daughter, and you’re…well, your Dani Janeway.”

    “And that affords us special treatment?”

    “Of course.”

    “I don’t believe in giving or receiving special treatment when it’s not warranted.” Dani watched Emma’s smile fall to the floor. The moment it hit was the moment all trouble between Dani and Emma began.

  • Homecoming – Chapter 7

    Deanna Troi, the Enterprise’s resident counselor, sat in a chair in the temporary office provided to her by Starfleet. “I must say, I was thoroughly surprised when I saw your name in my appointment log,” she said. “You know you don’t need an appointment to talk to me.”

    Will Riker sat on the sofa across from the counselor. “I know,” he said. “I just…” his voice trailed. As Deanna observed him, she saw that he was fidgeting, rubbing his hands together and such. Deanna also noticed how he was leaning forward, sitting on the edge of the sofa.

    “Well, what seems to be bothering you, Will?” Deanna asked.

    “I..I think I’m in love, Deanna,” Will said.

    Deanna’s face lit up. “Will – that’s wonderful!”

    “Is it?” Will asked cynically.

    “Of course it is. Who’s the lucky woman?”

    Will looked Deanna squarely in the eye. “It’s Dani.”

    Deanna’s smile didn’t exactly fall, but no one would say that she was beaming exactly. “Dani? Dani Janeway?”

    Will nodded. “Yeah.”

    “Will, I get the feeling that you don’t think that’s a good thing.”

    “Well, yes and no.” Will stood and began to pace the area beside the sofa.

    “What do you mean, ‘yes and no’?”

    “I don’t know what I mean. I don’t know what any of this means. I just know what I’ve been feeling since Voyager returned from the Delta Quadrant.”

    “And what’s that?”

    Will reclaimed his seat on the couch. “I don’t know how to explain it. I guess part of it was seeing her after so long. And I definitely did not expect her to look the way she does. Another part of it is that my hormones kicked in. But that wasn’t all. I don’t know. I’ve always felt that she was special. But I always felt more like a friend or a close uncle, maybe. Then she came back, and everything was different.”

    “You saw her as a woman, and you were attracted to her,” Deanna surmised.

    “Yes. That’s it. That’s it exactly. But I think it might be more than just attraction. That’s why it scares me.”

    “Why would it scare you?”

    “Because it seems wrong somehow.”

    “How? Tell me why it would be wrong for you to be in love with Dani.”

    “It’s just that she’s so young, and-“

    “And? You’re telling me that something so insignificant as an age difference is a good reason not to pursue a relationship?”

    “It could be.” Will knew that wasn’t true. “It wouldn’t be right.”

    “Why?” Will didn’t have an answer for Deanna. “It sounds to me as if you’re trying to convince yourself that any kind of romantic relationship with Dani would be wrong,” Deanna said. “I don’t think you’re buying it.”

    “You’re right; I’m not.”

    “Why are you fighting this?”

    “I don’t know,” Will said with a sigh.

    “How do you feel?”

    “What?”

    “When you look at Dani, when you spend time with her, how do you feel?”

    Will sat back for the first time in his meeting with Deanna. “I love being with her. When I’m with Dani, I feel like I don’t ever want our time together to end.”

    “That’s a very strong sentiment,” Deanna said. “How does she feel?”

    “I don’t know,” Will admitted. “That’s a problem, as well. I kissed her the other night at the party.”

    “You mean on the cheek.”

    “No. I mean on the lips. The funny thing is I didn’t even plan it. It just happened.”

    “What was her reaction?”

    “I don’t know. We were both kind of shocked. And before either one of us could say anything, Tom Paris called her back into the party.”

    “Unless she makes it absolutely clear that she doesn’t want a relationship with you-“

    “Like you did when we first met?” Will asked, smiling for the first time that afternoon.

    “Like I did when we first met,” Deanna agreed, remembering when she’d first met the young lieutenant named Will Riker on Betazed all those years ago.

    “We couldn’t have been very much older than Dani is now,” Will reminisced.

    An idea suddenly presented itself as a possible reason for Will’s reluctance to enter into a relationship with Dani. “Will, your reasons for not becoming involved with Dani wouldn’t happen to stem from the fact that we’re Imzadi, would they?”

    “I won’t lie to you, I have thought about it. I’m not going to say that us being Imzadi would ever keep me from pursuing a serious relationship, but I don’t think I’ll ever enter into a relationship without thinking about what we had.”

    “That’s true for me also. We’re Imzadi, Will. We’ll always share a special connection. What I’ve come to learn over the years is that I’m capable of loving people besides you. Do you believe that you are? That’s the question you’ve got to answer before you enter into this relationship or any other.”

    xxx

    Dani sat in her bedroom working her way through the last of her missed magazines. It had been nearly a week since she finished her final entrance exam and interview, and she needed something to take her mind off the Academy exams she’d just completed. ‘And also off of Will Riker,’ she thought.

    The door chimed. “Just a minute,” Dani called. She left her desk and walked into the living room to answer the door. When it slid open, Will was standing in the hallway. “Hi,” he said.

    “Hey,” Dani said. The atmosphere was somehow tempted to become awkward, but Dani wouldn’t let it. “Come in.”

    Will stepped into the apartment, and the doors closed behind him. “I think we’re overdue for a talk,” he said.

    “Me, too,” Dani agreed. She walked into her room, and Will followed. “We’ve…got to talk.” She reclaimed her seat at her desk.

    “Yes.” Will remained standing. “We would’ve talked sooner, but I knew that you had the exam, and I didn’t want you to be distracted. But that’s over, so now we have to talk about what happened that night at your party.”

    “I know,” Dani said. Will may not have wanted to distract her before the Academy exam, but that’s sure what happened. During the actual testing, she was able to concentrate on the material, but during the lunch break, Dani’s mind had drifted to thoughts of Will. “It’s been on my mind quite a bit.” Will was standing in front of Dani. “What were you thinking?” It sounded more like an admonishment than a genuine question. Will wasn’t expecting that kind of reaction from her. He sat down on the nearest thing that would have him, which happened to be Dani’s bed.

    Dani stood. “I mean, you said you didn’t want to distract me before the test. Well what the hell did you think kissing me would accomplish?”

    “I don’t know,” Will replied. He felt like a little like a child being scolded by his mother. “It was just a spontaneous thing.”

    “So, what did it mean?” Dani asked.

    “I don’t know.”

    Dani sat down beside Will on the bed. “Will, what is going on?”

    Will looked into Dani’s big brown eyes. “I’m falling in love with you,” he said quietly.

    Dani just stared at Will blankly. She wasn’t sure if she’d heard him correctly. When she didn’t respond for a few moments, Will became concerned. “Dani?”

    “I’m sorry,” Dani apologized. “It sounded like you said you were falling in love with me. Did you?”

    “Yes.”

    Dani nodded. “Oh. I see.”

    “How do you feel?” Will asked.

    “It’s funny you ask that,” Dani said. She told him earnestly, “I don’t even know. I’ve been trying to sort out my feelings for you since before we arrived on Earth. And I still don’t know.”

    “I understand,” Will began. “I don’t-” He was interrupted by the soft lips that were suddenly brushing against his.

    Neither Will nor Dani heard the apartment doors slide open, nor did they hear Chakotay as he called out for Dani. They didn’t even hear when Dani’s bedroom door opened, and Chakotay entered.

    “What the hell?” Chakotay exclaimed. That got Dani and Will’s attention. They immediately parted and stood. “Dani – what is going on here?”

    Dani honestly didn’t know what to say because she honestly didn’t know what was going on. Will had come over to talk, and Dani had ended up kissing him – on her bed. She looked at Will. “We’ll finish our talk later, Will,” she told him.

    Will nodded to her. He and Chakotay stared each other down as Will made his way to the door.

    After Will was gone, Dani braced herself. She knew one rough discussion with her father was in store.

    xxx

    “Kathryn, she was kissing him –

    on her bed!” Chakotay exclaimed. He and Kathryn were in their bedroom discussing what had taken place that day in their daughter’s bedroom. Kathryn was sitting on the bed, and Chakotay was pacing heatedly in front of her.

    “She’s an adult, Chakotay,” Kathryn said. “She has the right to kiss whomever she wants, sleep with whomever she wants, date, marry, whatever. She can do it.”

    At the utterance of the word ‘sleep’, Chakotay had stared at Kathryn in disbelief. “Not in my house,” he said.

    “Pardon, but this isn’t even your house,” Kathryn reminded him. “As far as Starfleet is concerned, this apartment belongs to them.”

    “Well, not in my house in Indiana, at least,” Chakotay said.

    “May I also remind you that we co-own that house,” Kathryn said.

    “You know what I mean,” Chakotay shot.

    Kathryn stood. “Chakotay, she’s just exploring her options.”

    Meanwhile, Dani, who’d been listening to her parents discuss the issue at hand, had been trying, unsuccessfully, to raise Will via the comm system. When she got the automated message that relayed for the third time in an hour that Will wasn’t home, decided that a trip over to his place might be in order.

    xxx

    Dani pressed Will’s door chime. A few moments later, the apartment doors slid open, and Will appeared in the doorway. Dani’s presence had obviously taken Will by surprise.

    “Dani?” he said. It came out as a question.

    “Hi,” Dani said. “Can I come in?”

    “Sure,” Will said. He stood to the side, allowing Dani access to the apartment. Dani stepped in, and the doors slid shut behind her. “What are you doing here? Your father-“

    “I don’t care what my father wants,” Dani said. “I know he thinks that this is a really bad idea. He’s all but forbidden me from seeing you anymore.”

    “I can’t say I blame him,” Will said. “I probably wouldn’t want my daughter seeing me, either. How’d you get away?”

    “He and my mother were in their bedroom talking.”

    “About us, no doubt,” Will surmised.

    Dani nodded. “They probably don’t even know I’m gone, yet. I just walked out.” Will nodded. Dani continued. “Will, I think we should try this. I mean, I really, really like you; and I think I’d regret it if I passed this up.”

    “Dani, I don’t want to create a rift between you and your parents. I grew up without a mother and without a father, in essence. We weren’t very close. Are you sure this is really what you want to do?”

    “My parents love me, and if they respect me, then they’ll respect my first real decision as an adult.”

    “It doesn’t always work out that way, Dani.”

    “I can’t let them dictate my life.”

    Will looked down at Dani and realized that she was right. She’d never get anything out of life if she lived only to fulfill her parents’ wishes.

    xxx

    When Dani and Will entered the Janeways’ apartment, they found that Kathryn and Chakotay had abandoned their bedroom for the living room. They stood immediately when Dani and Will entered.

    “What the hell is he going here?” Chakotay asked. He looked at Will.

    “I brought him here so we could all talk,” Dani said.

    “There’s nothing to talk about,” Chakotay insisted.

    “There’s plenty,” Kathryn said. Chakotay looked at her.

    “Thanks, Mom,” Dani said. “Now, everyone, please have a seat.” She looked at Will, indicating that he should sit, as well. He walked over and took the chair beside the couch that Kathryn and Chakotay were occupying. Dani remained standing in front of the three of them. “Now,” she began. “There seems to be some kind of question as to my decision-making capacity around here.”

    “Dani – why would you think that?” Chakotay asked.

    “It seems that way to me,” Dani replied. “Every decision that I make about my future is questioned by everyone. It’s like you don’t think I know what I’m doing.”

    “Dani-” Chakotay began, but didn’t finish.

    “-I’m not finished, yet,” Dani said, demanding the attention of the others in the room. “I know that you all are trying to look out for my best interests, but, damn it, I’ve got to live my own life. If that means I want to go to the Academy -” She looked at Kathryn before continuing. “-or that I want to date Will -” She looked at Chakotay, “-then so be it. You guys don’t want me to make any mistakes, but I will, no matter what you do or what you say. Just let me make them and learn from them. Like you did.”

    Will, Chakotay, and Kathryn all looked at each other, as what Dani was saying finally sunk in. Dani’s birthday had been days ago, but it was tonight that these individuals, especially Chakotay, were seeing just how much Dani had grown. He felt like an idiot for not having more faith in his daughter. He looked up at his daughter, 20 years old, standing there, all grown up. He looked at her for the first time, not as the little girl she had once been, but as the adult she had become.

  • Homecoming – Chapter 6

    May 26th – Dani Janeway’s 20th birthday. She, Kathryn, and Chakotay had decided that a small gathering at the apartment would suffice, and the whole affair had worked out wonderfully. Many Voyager crewmembers attended, as did other friends, such as Will, and family. They’d all come bearing gifts and goodwill.

    “I didn’t expect this to turn out so well,” Chakotay whispered to Kathryn, as he surveyed the filled apartment.

    “Me either,” Kathryn whispered back. “I expected many people to be too busy to attend.” She watched Dani, who was standing across the room in the center of a group that consisted mostly of Voyager alumni. “I’m glad they didn’t have anything better to do.”

    “I hear you’ve got the Academy test in a few days,” Tom Paris said. He belonged to the group that hovered around Dani.

    “Yes, the day after tomorrow,” Dani replied.

    “You aren’t nervous, are you?” Harry Kim asked. He’d been the Ops officer on Voyager, and after spending seven years as an ensign, had finally been promoted to lieutenant.

    “No. It won’t be any different from the stuff I’ve been doing for the past seven years. What I’m worried about is the interview.”

    “Ah, don’t worry about it,” Harry said. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Just go in there and be yourself. Don’t go in there praising the ‘Fleet’. That’s not what they want to hear. Trust me.”

    “Dani, why would the interview concern you more than the written exam?” Icheb asked.

    “I don’t know,” Dani said. “I guess it’s because when you take the written exam, it’s just you…and the computer. With the interview, it’s you and a few Starfleet brass.”

    “Dani, you’ve probably spent more time with the brass than all of us put together,” Tom said.

    “Not like this.”

    “Nonsense,” Tom insisted. “You’re on a first-name basis with the entire admirality.”

    Everyone in the little group, except Icheb, broke into laughter. Dani glanced across the room and caught Will’s gaze. He was standing in a group with Voyager’s Chief Engineer, B’Elanna Torres, and holographic doctor.

    “It’s about that time,” Tom said.

    “What time?” Dani asked.

    “Time for you, the guest of honor, to make her speech,” Tom revealed.

    Dani started to protest. “No, no-” But Tom had already started to process of gaining the other guest’s attention. He picked up a spoon from a nearby table and started to lightly tap it against his punch glass.

    “Attention, everybody!” Tom announced. “Attention!” Everyone turned to Tom. “The birthday girl-” Harry coughed quite noticeably. Tom looked at him and was silently reminded of something. “Oh, excuse me,” Tom said. “The birthday woman has an announcement to make.” He looked at Dani, who was blushing. “Ms. Janeway?”

    Will immediately noticed how beautiful Dani looked. He’d initially noticed when he’d first seen her after Voyager’s return, and he’d noticed it a few moments ago when his eyes had met hers from across the room, but to him, it seemed that she grew even more beautiful each time he looked at her. ‘I’m glad no one here is a telepath,’ Will thought. ‘At least, Ihope no one here is.’

    Dani smiled, somewhat embarrassed by all the attention. “Thank you, everyone,” she said. “I know this wasn’t a surprise party, but I’m still astounded by the number of people who actually showed up. I didn’t expect so many. No offense or anything, but don’t you people have lives?” There was a wave of light chuckles. “No, really, thanks for coming. I really do appreciate it. Um…this is one of the best birthdays I’ve had in a long while. Not only because I’m finally 20, but also because I get to spend it here, on Earth, with all of you. Thank you.”

    Everyone clapped. As everyone once again broke off into groups, Dani abandoned the party for the balcony. She walked over to the railing, drink in hand, and stared out at the city. The Golden Gate Bridge at night. ‘So beautiful,’ she thought. There was a time, about one year ago today, actually, when she thought she’d never see that sight again.

    Will stopped at the balcony doors. He’d expected to find Dani out there, but she looked so engrossed in her thoughts that he didn’t want to disturb her. But she must’ve realized that someone was standing in the doorway because she turned her head. When Will realized that he’d been spotted, he decided that he might as well join her. He stepped out onto the balcony, closed the door behind him, and joined Dani at the rail.

    “Will,” Dani said.

    “Hey,” Will said, stepping to her side. “I just wanted to tell you again, happy birthday.”

    “Thanks – again.”

    “Also, I want you to know that I’m proud of you.”

    “You? Proud of me? What for?”

    “I know you don’t like people saying this, but we all know it’s true even if you don’t think so.”

    Dani let out a frustrated sigh. “If this is about the Academy-“

    “It isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, we’re all proud of you for that, too, but that’s not what I was going to talk about. We’re especially proud of you for what you’ve been through and how you went through it.”

    “I did what anyone else would have done.”

    “Maybe, but it’s the way you did it. Your attitude. From what I hear, you gave so many people so much hope. They looked at you, and they didn’t see you, the person who probably had the most cause to complain, complaining. So, they felt like they didn’t have the right to complain. And if you don’t complain, that means you hope.”

    “Oh, I complained. I just didn’t do it in public.”

    “And it’s just that kind of thinking that makes a good command officer.”

    Dani smiled, waiving the usual ‘I haven’t taken the test, yet’ speech. “Command?”

    “Yeah,” Will said.

    “I never really considered going to command school,” Dani said. “I’ve been pretty focused on Starfleet Medical.”

    “You should think about it. I think you’d make a good command officer. How could you not? It is in your blood, after all.”

    Dani nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

    “Congratulations, Dani,” Will said. “On the birthday.” He bent down and kissed Dani on the cheek.

    As Kathryn passed by the balcony door, he saw Will bend over and kiss Dani on the cheek. Any other person kissing Dani, and she would have immediately dismissed it, but since it was Will, for some reason, she couldn’t let it go as harmless, as she walked away from the door.

    ‘If only that had been a few inches to the right,’ Dani thought, of Will’s kiss.

    ‘If only that could have been a few inches to the left,’ Will thought, as his lips were leaving Dani’s face. The thought caught him by surprise. ‘Where did that come from?’ he asked himself. It was an empty question. He knew where it had come from. It had come from the same place that prompted him to do what he was about to do next. Quite unexpectedly, Will bent down and kissed Dani again, this time squarely on the lips.

    When they parted, they were both shocked. Neither of them had expected that. As a result, neither of them really knew what to say. That’s when Tom Paris unknowingly saved the day (or the night, rather).

    Standing in the doorway, Tom said, “Hey, Dani – get back in here. You’re missing your own party.”

    Dani wandered away from the rail and walked back into the apartment and the party.

  • Homecoming – Chapter 5

    “Damn!” Kathryn said. She stared in dismay at the burnt pot roast. Before, she could blame it on Voyager’s replicators. Now, there was no excuse. She just couldn’t cook.

    “What’s the matter?” Dani inquired, joining her mother at the replicator. Her question was answered when she saw the smoking pot of meat. “Oh. Well, we didn’t really need the pot roast, anyway. We’ve got plenty.”

    The door chimed. Chakotay, who was setting the table, looked at the door and then at Dani and Kathryn.

    “That’s Will,” Dani said. She looked at the pot roast. “Put that in the recycler.” She walked over to the door and pressed the button that would open it. The doors slid open to reveal Will Riker.

    “Hi,” Dani said.

    “Good evening,” Will said.

    “Come in,” Dani said stepping to the side.

    Will stepped into the apartment. The doors slid shut behind him. When he saw that Chakotay was still setting the table, he thought that he might’ve gotten the time wrong. “Am I early?” he asked.

    “No,” Dani said. “Everything’s ready. Dad’s just finishing up the table. No, you’re right on time.” She spied the bottle in Will’s hands. “What’s this?”

    “Well, I felt the need to bring something,” Will said. He handed the bottle to Dani. She studied the bottle and looked up at him. “Champagne?”

    “Syntheholic champagne,” Will said. “Wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out.”

    “Thanks for your consideration. I’ll go put it on some ice. Have a seat.”

    Dani left for the kitchen. Will sat on the couch. Once Chakotay had finished setting the last of the silverware out, he decided to join Will in the living room.

    “Hello,” Chakotay said, sinking into a nearby chair.

    “Goodevening, Commander,” Will said. “Everything going okay?”

    “All this formality isn’t called for,” Chakotay insisted. “We’re not on a starship, and we’re both the same rank. Call me Chakotay.”

    “All right, Chakotay. You can call me Will.”

    “So, Will,” Chakotay began, “How has everything been going for you?”

    “Pretty well, actually,” was Will’s reply. “After this shore leave, I’m gong back to the Enterprise, and who knows from there.”

    Chakotay nodded. “I must say, I was surprised after we returned to Earth and found that you didn’t have your own command.”

    “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: As long as Jean-Luc Picard is in the captain’s chair, I intend to serve as his first officer.”

    Dani, from the kitchen, watched Will and her father interact. “I thought you said that Dad didn’t like Will?” she said to her mother, being sure to keep her voice low to prevent it from carrying into the living room.

    “No, he likes Will just fine,” Kathryn said. “He respects him as a person and as an officer. He just doesn’t like the idea of you and Will.”

    “Me and Will?” Dani looked at Kathryn. “What does he mean by that?”

    “You tell me? Is there any meaning to it?”

    “No, not yet-” Dani caught herself.

    “But there will be, I assume,” Kathryn surmised from her daughter’s unfinished statement.

    Dani sighed. “I don’t know. I like him, and you know I’ve always had a little bit of a crush on him.”

    “There’s a big difference between a crush and a relationship,” Kathryn pointed out.

    “I know. You know what – right now, we’re just friends, and to tell you the truth, I’d be really surprised if anything other than that developed.”

    “Well, you have no need to worry about any of that,” Kathryn said, smoothing her daughter’s hair. “Once you get to the Academy-“

    “Mom, you’re going to jinx me. I haven’t even taken the first exam, yet.”

    xxx

    Ten minutes later, Dani, Will, Kathryn, and Chakotay were around the dining room table enjoying a dinner that featured a baked fish entree.

    “You know who else we should’ve invited tonight?” Dani asked. Everyone shook his head.

    “No,” Chakotay answered for everyone. He and Kathryn occupied the seats at the ends of the table, and Will and Dani sat across from each other. “Who?”

    “Icheb.”

    “Oh, yes,” Kathryn agreed. “And Seven.”

    Will seemed a bit confused for a moment, but then his memory caught up with him. “Oh, you mean the liberated Borg,” he said.

    “Yes,” Kathryn said.

    “I still can’t grasp the concept of having a former Borg as a crewmember,” Will said. “I mean, just a few years ago, we were fighting them for our right to exist.”

    “At Wolf 359,” Chakotay said. “Yes, I know.”

    Actually, Will had been speaking of the First Contact incident, but he didn’t make any attempt to correct Chakotay. That mission was extremely classified because of its sensitive temporal nature.

    “Just another one of those reminders of just how unpredictable life can be,” Chakotay continued.

    “Most definitely,” Will agreed. “Especially if the life you lead is in Starfleet. But I guess you all should be the ones giving the lectures on this subject matter.”

    “Perhaps,” Chakotay said. “Perhaps not. Everyone experiences changes in his or her life. Some are just more extraordinary than others. Take Icheb and Seven, for example. Two Borg who were liberated from the collective. Once that notion was thought totally impossible. It’d only been tried on two previous occasions: after Captain Picard was assimiliated and when a drone named Hugh was liberated. So, when we considered performing the procedure on Seven, we knew it could be done.”

    “Dad, you have to admit that Seven’s case was somewhat different from Captain Picard’s,” Dani said joining the conversation. She’d been young when Captain Picard had been assimilated, but she was avid at keeping up with history. “I would’ve thought Seven’s process more difficult because she’d been a drone for almost her entire life. The Captain was only a drone for, what?” She looked at Will for confirmation, “A few days, a week maybe?”

    Will nodded.

    “I knew it was something like that,” Dani said. “The same goes for Icheb; he was part of the collective for a little while before he was liberated.”

    “How old is Icheb?” Will asked.

    “He’s around my age,” Dani replied. “Maybe a few years older.”

    “Any plans for the Academy?”

    “Oh, yes,” Kathryn said. “He’s already completed a few courses via subspace transmissions. So he’s already got a bit of a head start.”

    “He hasn’t been interviewed, yet,” Chakotay said, “but he passed the written exam with flying colors, and I’m sure he’ll have no trouble talking with a few Academy officials.”

    “The first Borg in Starfleet,” Will chimed. “That’ll be something. I’d like to meet him.”

    “That can be arranged,” Dani said. “He’s sharing an apartment with Seven, isn’t he?”

    “Yes,” said Kathryn. “Until he goes away to the Academy.”

    “I wouldn’t mind seeing everyone again before we went back to Indiana,” Chakotay said after taking a sip of his tea.

    “Me either,” Kathryn said. She put her fork down. “We’ve got to have a dinner or a party or something.”

    “I have an idea,” Will said. Everyone looked in his direction. “Dani’s birthday is in a few weeks. Why don’t you have some kind of function for that, and invite everyone to attend?”

    Dani, Chakotay, and Kathryn all looked at one another.

    “That sounds good to me,” Kathryn said. Chakotay nodded. Kathryn looked at the soon-to-be guest of honor. “Dani?”

    “Yeah,” she said, beaming. “That’d be great.”

    xxx

    “So, this Icheb fellow,” Will began, “your parents seem very fond of him.” He and Dani were taking an evening stroll through San Francisco. They had offered to help Kathryn and Chakotay clear away the dishes, but the captain and commander had insisted that they could take care of it themselves.

    “They are,” Dani said in reply to Will’s observation. “And rightly so. Icheb’s a good guy. He’s a real friend.”

    “Really?” Will asked. There was something implied behind that ‘really.’

    “Yes.”

    “And were you and Icheb ever more than just friends?”

    A mock gasp of shock escaped Dani’s lips. “Commander – that is a question of an extremely personal nature.”

    “Since when? You always pried into my love life. I’m just returning the favor,” Will defended. “It’s supposed to be a sign that I care.”

    “We dated for a few weeks but decided that our relationship would best be served by simply being friends.”

    “Ah. And how long ago was this?”

    “What is this? Why the sudden interest in all the gritty details of my short love life?”

    “I can’t care?”

    Dani relented and decided to tell Will what he wanted. Maybe he’d leave the topic alone after this. “This was…let’s see…about three or four years ago.”

    “Oh.” Will nodded, and Dani thought that was the end of it. “First boyfriend?” She’d thought wrong.

    “Yes,” Dani replied with annoyance. ‘Maybe that was the last one,’ Dani thought hopefully.

    “First kiss?” Will asked.

    Dani sighed, displaying her annoyance with the current subject as if it weren’t already apparent by the tone of her voice. “Yes,” she said. ‘That has to be it,’ Dani thought. Will wouldn’t dare go any farther. He was a gentleman.

    “Imzadi?” Will asked.

    ‘Or so I thought,’ Dani thought as she and Will stopped walking. Actually, she’d been hoping that Will wouldn’t ask her about sex, which he didn’t (not that there’d be anything to tell, anyway…). But what he had asked was just as personal. She didn’t mind telling him, though. They’d always been open with each other.

    “No,” said Dani, replying to Will’s inquiry. She started walking again. Will joined her. “I haven’t found my Imzadi, yet,” Dani added.

    “Maybe you have, and you just don’t know it,” Will suggested.

    “I think I would know if Icheb was my Imzadi.”

    “Who said I was talking about Icheb?”

    Dani stopped dead in her tracks again and looked up at Will. Who was he talking about?

    “I haven’t been involved with anyone else,” Dani said.

    “Maybe it’s someone you haven’t been involved with – yet,” Will suggested again.

    “What are you talking about?”

    “No,” Will said, shaking his head. “Nothing. Just something to think about.”

    Dani nodded slowly. She let the matter slip from her mind, but not completely. Just for the night, as she and Will continued their walk through the city.