Archive of Our Own ^beta

A city in the middle of an ocean of fire. Chakotay leaned forward in his chair, caught by the image on the screen. Gleaming spires rising through clouds of sulfur and smoke, bidding all comers welcome with their elegant beauty, while cheerfully floating on a sea of flame. At the risk of sounding cliche, he thought it fascinating.

"Well, that's not supposed to be there."

"Indeed not," Seven agreed from the science station. "The ocean's temperature is far beyond levels sufficient to cause the city's immolation. It should have been consumed long ago."

"Curiouser and curiouser," Chakotay said. He left the captain's chair and crossed the bridge to stand at her shoulder. "Explanations? Theories? A tourist guide of the mystery city's best eateries?"

The glance she cast at him was indulgent. "The city seems to be protected by a rather unusual shield structure." She turned back to her console, hands dancing across the controls, bringing up the latest sensor data. "Their power utilization curve is fascinating," she added, leaning forward. "If I were to speculate -- "

"By all means, Commander," he said. "Let's hear it."

"This is not so much a city as it is a vessel," Seven brought up a schematic. "It appears that the city has been designed with the capability to move through space. It could, quite easily, station itself in orbit without any danger to its inhabitants."

"Colonization made easy," Tom quipped from the conn. "Forget about packing everything but the kitchen sink, just take the whole house."

"Essentially," Seven agreed.

"The power required would be tremendous," said Commander Galina chi-Raisa. Chakotay looked back at his XO. She looked at him with a greedy expression that both made him laugh and hit him in the gut with all the seductive force her half-Deltan physiology could evoke. "Captain -- "

"We should attempt to make contact," Seven said, picking up Galina's plea and adding to it. "The Federation is eager to make contact with civilizations native to the quadrant. One as sophisticated as this could be a powerful ally."

And quite a feather in his cap. She didn't say it, but Chakotay heard it anyway. He brushed a hand over her shoulder as he turned. She was definitely the strategist in the family. "All right, we'll say hello." He looked up at Harry. "Feel like knocking on the front door?"

"Don't need to, sir," he said. "They are hailing us."

"Well, that solves that," Chakotay said. "On screen, Commander." He turned toward the screen, feeling Galina rise to join him. By the time she had reached his elbow, the viewscreen had resolved into the image of a humanoid woman.

This had always been an awkward moment. The very first contact of a First Contact. What to say, how to say it. Starfleet had never created a set script. The idea of even trying had always been bandied about but ultimately rejected. One simply couldn't create a universal greeting.

Fortunately, in this case, Chakotay didn't need to worry. At the sight of them, the woman's eyes widened with shock and surprise. Before he could question her on it, she burst out with, "Humans? From Earth?"

Considering his position, Galina and Tom standing on one side, Seven on the other and Ayala, Harry, and Celes behind, Chakotay could only smile. "More or less. I'm Captain Chakotay of the Federation starship Voyager. And you are?"

Innocent enough question, but the sad smile that was his response said that he'd hit a nerve. Damn. "Well, Captain, the subject of my identity is complicated, but my name," and here he thought he heard more emphasis than was truly necessary, "is Elizabeth Weir. Welcome to Annwn."

-

Elizabeth was waiting with a small delegation of young, fresh-faced people when they beam in. She didn't bat an eyelash at the transporter effect, but Chakotay hadn't truly expected she would. Flying city and all.

"Captain," she said, her smile warm. "Welcome." She held out a hand for him to shake. "You've no idea how good it is to meet you."

He clasped her hand. "No, I don't, but I'm quite curious to find out."

She laughed. Again, the sound was wistful. There seemed to be an edge of sadness permeating everything she did. "That's somewhat of a complicated story."

Chakotay glanced back at his people, eyes seeking out his counselor, reassuring himself that Phillida was watching. She was looking at the spires of the city with apparent interest, but he saw the tiny smile and brief sideways glance that hinted where her attention truly was. Good. "I'd be interested in hearing it if that is possible. The last thing we expected when we entered the Gamma Quadrant was to find human beings."

Seven's hand touched his in a brief brush of fingers. It was just enough to get his attention and tell him he'd stumbled into something. The look on Elizabeth's face said as much, but he suspected he stood a better chance of his wife telling him than their hostess.

"Well," Elizabeth continued, "I'm actually the only person here from Earth." She looked back at her people. "The others are natives of another galaxy, but, forgive me, we're getting ahead of ourselves. Please, introduce me to your crew. You implied that some of them aren't human?" Her eyes were, understandably, on Galina as she added the question. Deltans. The universal elephants in the room.

Accepting the diversion, Chakotay nodded. "This is my first officer, Commander Galina chi-Raisa. Galina is actually half-human."

"Half?" Elizabeth asked. It was interesting to note that she didn't offer a hand. Instead, she stayed at a distance, but there was no hostility to it. Chakotay watched the way she faced Galina, realizing Elizabeth was responding to his first officer's body language.

"My mother is a Deltan," Galina explained. "My father is Russian."

"Really?" Elizabeth smiled. This time, her smile held more warmth and openness. "I'd like to hear more about that."

"Should time permit," Galina agreed.

Elizabeth nodded and Chakotay took it as permission to continue. "This is Lieutenant Commander Ayala, my Tactical officer, the woman beside him is Commander Phillida. She's a Platonian."

:"Really," Elizabeth said, shaking the woman's hand. "Forgive me, if i misspeak, but when you say that you're a Platonian, do you mean -- "

"Our society is founded upon the ideals of the philosopher Plato," Phillida answered. Her smile was mischievous as she added, "We were human once, but several thousand years on another world has changed that considerably, and I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly how that happened."

"I think I might be able to guess," Elizabeth said with a knowing grin.

Chakotay believed her. "And this is my Chief Science Officer and, coincidentally, my wife, Commander Seven Hansen." He stumbled a little on the last, nearly forgetting to add her family name, Seven's resumed use of it still somewhat of a recent development.

Seven stepped forward, holding out the hand not holding a tricorder. He glanced down at it, looking for the telltale flashing lights of an active scan. He wasn't surprised to find it active.

With his introductions complete, Elizabeth engaged in hers. A myriad of names, faces, and the occasional handshake came flying Chakotay's way as the Council of Annwnn
stepped forward in turn. They all all seemed so very young in a way he couldn't quite explain until one, a young woman named Lia, smiled at him. "We've heard Elizabeth speak so much of Earth. It has always fascinated me. We did meet her companions, of course, but it has been many years since and I find myself eager for new data."

Elizabeth cleared her throat then, subtle, but unmistakable, and too late. With a sigh, she stepped away from the others, gesturing. "Perhaps you'd like a tour of the city?"

-

On one of the upper levels, Chakotay slipped back to fall into step with Seven. Before Elizabeth had a chance to question it, Galina took his place, launching into the story of how her father, a Starfleet officer, had landed the assignment of a lifetime (or so his fellow officers had believed) on Delta IV.

"You noticed something back there," he said, murmuring into his wife's ear. "Something important."

"Yes," Seven said. She brought her hand up slightly, twisting her hand to let him see the tricorder's small screen. "Their biosigns are unusual."

"Unusual how?" Chakotay asked, glancing up at Elizabeth and Galina.

"They do not fall within acceptable parameters of human norms," Seven explained. "They define them. They are, each of them, perfect specimens."

"Too perfect?" he asked. "Why?"

Seven opened her mouth to explain, but Elizabeth cut her off. "Because they're only simulating it, Captain. The thousand and one ways a human body can deviate from expected norms are alien to them." She looked at Seven. "Your implants -- "

"The remnants of assimilation by a race known as the Borg."

"Right," Elizabeth's eyes darkened. "I've heard of them." She looked at Chakotay. "Captain, that story, if you're still interested in hearing it I think I have little choice but tell it."

"I am definitely interested," Chakotay said, "but you don't have to. We wouldn't expect that."

"Maybe not," Elizabeth said, gesturing to a door, "but I do."

-

"It isn't truly Annwn, of course," Elizabeth said, leading him into an office. Hers, Chakotay suppose, though there were very few personal effects. "I was feeling a little poetic when I chose it."

Sitting down, Chakotay smiled. "I think it's appropriate, though my wife might have suggested El Dorado." He let his smile widen. "It's certainly a city of scientific gold. I'm sure you can understand our reaction when we first scanned it."

"I can," Elizabeth said. She laced her fingers together on her desk before her. "The Ancients were brilliant designers, but the Asurans have managed to improve on their work in the years since."

"The Ancients? The Asurans?"

"The people living in the city are dissidents. With my help they fled from their species, a race of artificial beings known as the Asurans. They were created by a species we call the Ancients who once inhabited our galaxy as well as the galaxy my expedition discovered the Asurans in." Elizabeth paused, visibly considering how to approach her next point. "How we came to be here is immaterial," she said, decision made. "Just that we are. We landed on this planet to hide, but the galaxy keeps knocking at our door and I'm forced to admit that hiding was never really an option."

She stopped and looked at him. Chakotay had the sense she was waiting for him to say something. It took little guessing to realize what.

"You aren't one of the Asurans."

"Not really," she said. "I was human once, but -- " her smile was tight. "Let's just say I can understand your wife's experience better than I'd like to admit."

Unwilling to intrude on what was clearly a painful issue, Chakotay tried a different tack. "So, flying city? I've got a pilot on my ship who's dying to get a look at that."

Elizabeth's smile slowly returned. "I imagine the rest of your staff has a few things of their own they'd like to check out."

"If you're willing -- " Chakotay smiled. "I'm sure the Federation would fall all over itself to open diplomatic relations." He gave her his most cheerful, conspiratorial look. "Go easy on them? I get the feeling they're going to find themselves sorely outmatched."

Elizabeth laughed. "Not likely, my diplomatic muscles have atrophied." She pressed her lips together, sliding one hand over the other. "It would be nice to see home again. Even if it is...different."

He didn't ask what different meant. Time travel, alternate reality, or a woman who'd just stopped aging, there were a myriad of potential answers to that question. Chakotay wasn't sure he wanted to ask. He was definitely sure she didn't want to answer.

"You'll always be welcome there," he said. "Different or no. I think you may find it's grown up some since you saw it last."

She smiled. "Yes, I suppose it has."

Leaning forward, Chakotay hesitated. "Elizabeth, I hope this isn't out of line, but I'm sure Seven would be more than willing to talk to you -- about your experience, I mean - and so would the counselor. Starfleet has been dealing with similar issues for years now and I'd like to help if I can." He knew for a fact that Phil herself had spent years working with survivors of Borg attacks. The few that there were.

"I've had a long time to get used to what happened to me," Elizabeth said, "but some days, it still feels like yesterday." Her smile wobbled a little and, he thought, her eyes hinted at unshed tears, but nevertheless, her voice was calm, even warm, as she said, "I appreciate the offer, Captain, but we'll see."

He nodded. "Yes, I think we will." Rising, Chakotay held out a hand. "In the meantime, I believe that I owe you a tour. It is only fair. Anyone who doesn't fall all over Galina five seconds after meeting her deserves at least that much."

"Oh, I assure you, Captain," Elizabeth teased, "I was falling on the inside. I still have some human frailties left." She cleared her throat. "And I never thought that would be a relief or that it would feel so wonderful."

Chakotay thought of Seven. Of laughter, tears, and the way she looked in the sun. He smiled. "Neither did I."

But they were, and it was, and he could never complain about that. Neither, he knew, could Elizabeth.