The BLTS Archive - The Balm of Gilead
by Helmboy (arcpus@yahoo.com)

---

DISCLAIMER: Paramount owns them. I cavort. Nothing is made
except mayhem.

SUMMARY: This story is the sequel to Jacob's Ladder, the
most recent story in the Canaan Land series. It advances the
story from Jacob's Ladder to Comes A Pale Rider. This tells
of the down time and resolves a few bits of Jacob.

Feedback is welcomed and returned. :)

For Britta, for being the kick start to my muse. And to all
who follow the story.

---
Nana's House, New Taos ...
---

The coffee in his cup was cold. He stared it for a moment
and then sat back, stretching his tense body, feeling the
snap and pop of muscle and tendon. Relaxing as much as he
could, he looked at the grim face of Chakotay who sat across
from him holding his daughter's hand. Cheyenne was pale and
worried and it bothered him. Leaning forward, he cleared his
throat. "Chakotay?"

Chakotay glanced at Tom his dark eyes filled with conflict.
He shook his head and then sighed, letting go of some of his
own tension. "I'm all right."

Tom leaned back, sighing. "That makes you one step ahead of
me."

"Are you upset with me?" Cheyenne asked, biting her lip.

"There will never come a day," Chakotay said softly. He
brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Cheyenne sighed,
visibly relieved. "It will take a few minutes to assimilate
this that's all."

"Daddy?" Cheyenne asked, turning her sad and anxious eyes
upon her father.

"Baby, don't fret," Tom said quietly. "You would think I
would be used to weirdness but this is close to home and
will take a moment or two."

"I don't understand it," Chakotay said, shaking his head.
"What is going on here?"

"We don't know," Nayib said, sitting down in a chair next to
Chakotay. The clock in the kitchen ticked steadily as they
sat together without comment. Standing in the doorway
watching them with appraising eyes Kolopak considered his
youngest son. Chakotay was tense. That was understandable.
He would let him work things out on his own time schedule.
He felt a hand touch his shoulder and turned, meeting the
dark eyes of his brother. Walter smiled and glanced behind
him, motioning him to join others on the front porch. He
smiled and turned, walking down the hallway.

Cheyenne watched him go and sighed. "He's here. It's a
miracle. I don't suppose it matters how he came as long as
he did come."

"Who could have made it happen and why?" Chakotay asked,
looking at Tom.

Tom shrugged. "Don't look gift horses in the mouth,
Chakotay. Just think about this. You won't have to meditate
on him any longer. You can talk to him face-to-face."

Chakotay nodded and swallowed. "That's true. My father is
here and I should be rejoicing. I have this twisted knot in
my stomach and it feels so strange. I just wish I felt
better about it that's all."

"You will, Papa," Tim said, nodding. He stood leaning
against the counter nearby, watching his parents with
concern. "This is just new and odd, like most of our life
actually."

Tom squeezed Chakotay's hand. "He's right. You might want to
go out and sit and listen. When was the last time Lou, Betsy
and Walter were here?"

"Papa's funeral," Chakotay said with a sigh. He nodded and
sat back, glancing at his daughter. "Coming?"

She nodded and stood watching as the whole group rose and
stretched, easing their tension slightly. They walked
through the house and out to the front porch, pausing in the
doorway as they exited looking for a place to sit. Darius,
Rainey, Benjamin, all three of Chakotay's sisters and their
kids had arrived settling around their porch and front yard.

Benches, swings and steps were full as they moved to sit
themselves. Before she could find a place Cheyenne paused,
glancing back at Maria, her grandmother. "Nana, we're going
to fix brunch. All you older kids come with me. You Elders,
you can sit here and talk."

"Are you sure you don't need help, Cheyenne?" Maria asked,
smiling as she made room for Kolopak on the swing.

"No, Nana," Cheyenne said smiling, warming to the effort to
come. "We'll take care of you." She glanced around at the
dozen or so youngsters and smiled. "Anyone under eighteen
front and center." They groaned goodnaturedly and rose,
following her into the house. The screen door slammed behind
them as the adults left behind smiled appreciatively.
Kolopak glanced at Chakotay. "That is one fine young woman,
Chakotay. I am well pleased with her."

Chakotay felt warmth rising through him as he nodded. "She
is unique and special."

"All of them are. I am delighted with my grandchildren,"
Kolopak said, slipping his arm around Maria's shoulders.
"There are so many. Especially you, Chakotay."

"We hold the record," Tom agreed, smirking at his partner.
"I tried to interest the others but no takers."

"Leave it to the man being the most prolific breeder," Ro
said, patting Bey's leg.

"We stopped with perfection," Bey said, smirking as his
daughter ran out quickly, picked up her forgotten sun hat
and ran back inside the house again. They chuckled and the
atmosphere lightened. The sun was warming and its dappled
light covered the deeply green lawn, sparkling over the beds
of flowers that Maria had planted.

"Do you suppose they will give you back your job at
University, Papa?" Bey asked curiously.

"They don't know I exist," Kolopak said, musingly. "I don't
know if they want a ghost teaching there."

"You're no ghost," Lou said, shaking her head. "We would
know a skinwalker if there was one here. You are you, Kolo.
I believe you should do what you want."

"The NAWC will go mad when they find out," Nayib said. He
shifted in his seat on a step turning to fix his father with
an appraising stare. "They would expect you to take your
place of honor among the Elders."

Kolopak sighed and shrugged slightly. "I am still trying to
find my way among you without adding another mine field to
my problems. One thing at a time, Nayib."

Nayib nodded. "One thing at a time."

---

Cheyenne watched as the boys and older girls arranged Nana's
picnic tables near the fences by the big shade trees.
Cattle, horses and sheep watched them, some walking toward
the fence, their steps muffled in the long grass. They hoped
for a carrot and a scratch behind the ear. Nearby, moving
with precision other children put the tables under the trees
that were offering the first shade of the day. Chairs were
placed and umbrellas went up as they designed a dining area
for the crowd.

Cheyenne, with Sapphie and her cousin, Ella, the daughter of
her Aunt Neera worked in the kitchen to prepare the food.
The littler kids watched and 'helped' and all worked
together amiably to accomplish the task. By the time they
were ready, everyone was hungry. Sapphie and Charon were
delegated to let folks know and they filtered out, taking
seats here and there.

"Let me help you, Cheyenne," Maria said pausing by the table
where plates and bowls piled high with food sat, their
delicious aromas beckoning all.

"No, Nana. You and Grandpa take a seat and we'll serve you.
We'll serve all of you," Cheyenne said, directing her aunts
and uncles, great aunts and uncles and parents to chairs and
tables. She then turned and began to supervise the filling
and delivery of plates by the boys and girls.

"This is the life. I could get used to this," Maria said,
smiling as Geno put her plate and drink before her. Andrew
gave Kolopak his food and smiled at the look of amazement
and satisfaction that formed on his handsome face. "You'll
get used to it, Grandpa," he said patting Kolopak's
shoulder.

"I am already," he replied, smiling.

They flit here and there, delivering food and filling and
refilling glasses before taking their own and settling. The
conversation buzzed all around them as they dined, horses
and sheep watching them from nearby. Chickens walked here
and there, pecking at the bugs and dogs and cats watched the
smallest children intently for accidents.

"Not bad food, Cheyenne," Tom said smiling. "Replicator or
no replicator?"

"Mostly no replicator," she replied, beaming. Sio, sitting
beside her smiled. "I helped her," she said in her soft
sweet voice.

"I can tell," Tom said, smiling at the child before him.

Her reptilian colored eyes filled with pleasure at his
compliment and she engaged the Bast version of a blush.
"Thank you, Grandpa," she said.

Tom looked at her and then glanced at Chakotay, who was
staring at her with deep affection. "Grandpa, Chakotay. Did
you hear that?"

"Yes," he replied. "Sounds good to me."

Tom smiled broadly. "Me too."

---

K'elen walked down the corridor toward the office of the
Great Lord. He had arrived just that morning and was
immediately summoned to give a personal briefing on the
collapse of the conference on Raynor-si. He paused and then
opened the door, stepping inside. Sitting by a window,
staring out at the lush forest that infused their capital
city with a startling beauty, the Great Lord sighed.
"Welcome, Captain. Please come and sit."

K'elen bowed slightly and walked across the stone floor,
sitting opposite his leader on a cushioned bench. The elder
K'aith had the battles of his life etched on his face,
framed as it was by a mane flecked with gray. He turned and
smiled. "You look well."

"I feel well, my Lord," he answered waiting. The protocol of
his people was strict when dealing with elders. They were
always given deference by those who were younger for their
age and wisdom. It did not matter what rank or station they
might hold in life, age equaled respect. He waited for the
great man to speak.

"The forest is in bloom now," he said quietly. "It is
difficult to think of conflict when the flowers are so
fragrant."

K'elen nodded. "It is so," he answered respectfully.

"You have much to tell me I know," he said glancing at his
companion with a slight smile.

"I do, Lord," K'elen said. "At your pleasure."

He nodded and sat back, relaxing and clearing his mind of
images of older times, when the most difficult problem
before him was which fabled path to hike. "I am yours. Tell
me what you will."

K'elen bowed his head slightly and did.

---

The meal was refreshing and when they had finished the
elders were shooshed off and the youngsters began to clean
up. Cheyenne, tall and slim once more commanded the
operation, which commenced with great efficiency. Beyvahl,
sitting on a chair under a tree, watching her with affection
smiled. "She will be queen of the NAWC some day."

Kolopak, sitting beside him, Maria by his side, nodded. "She
seems to be a very strong willed girl with a lot of
intelligence."

"She's pursuing her practicum in my office. She wants to be
a lawyer with a specialty in intergalactic law and
diplomacy," Bey said with a touch of pride.

"She's already taken on the Council of Clan Mothers over the
berdache issue," Maria said with a chuckle. "I couldn't be
there. Conflict of interest don't you know, but Elsa told me
she put a good case forward."

Kolopak nodded. "The children in this family appear to be
well raised."

"They are," Bey replied with pride. "They are well
surrounded by family."

"You must fill me in," Kolopak said, his eyes following
Cheyenne as she cleared tables. "I am a bit behind the times
it would appear."

"I will help you," Maria replied patting his arm.

Chakotay, sitting nearby with his brothers-in-law shook his
head. "This is so strange."

Rainey nodded. "I've known your father since I was seven. I
can't get it into my mind that he's truly here."

Chakotay nodded. "I know. How it happened is bothering me."

"Because of Cheyenne? Or because it's just such an unknown?"
Benny asked.

"Both," he replied, shaking his head. "When this comes out
and you know it will, what will it mean to Cheyenne to be
known as the mother of her own grandfather? What kind of
scrutiny will she have to endure."

"No one needs to know, Chakotay," Darius said. "We don't
need to give that information out." It was silent a moment
and then Darius smiled. "Layla told me that the children are
calling you Grandpa."

Chakotay smiled in spite of himself. "They are."

"Then you're the first grandpa in the family," Benny said.

"Nayib is grandfather to my kids," Chakotay offered.

"Step-grandpa," Benny countered.

"Yeah," Chakotay said smiling more broadly.

"Grandpa," Darius said with a snort. "I don't mind you being
the first one, Chakotay. If Jake takes a while, I'll be
happy."

"Now the big question is who's the berdache? Andrew or
Jesse?" Benny said, glancing over his shoulder to where his
nephew stood, Sio as ever by his side, her arm around his
waist. "Until Cheyenne gets things changed, it will matter
in society." He turned and glanced at Chakotay with a smirk.
"Odd that some old things really do still matter."

Chakotay grinned. "If you're a betting man don't put any
money on Andrew."

Sitting nearby, Jonah sprawled on his lap, Tom chatted
quietly with Neera. He got the entire story at last and when
it finally told, he remembered the only other time he had
heard of something like this. With prompting, he considered
that Deanna Troi had been the victim of this intrusion also.
Once again, Deanna Troi had somehow come to roost in his
life. He sighed and brushed hair out of Jonah's eyes. The
little boy looked up and smiled. He could feel the warmth
the boy sent to him and once again, he wondered how they
could meet his needs as an empathic alien away from the hive
mind of his own kind.

"Dad?"

He glanced up and met the smiling gaze of Sapphie. "What,
dumpling?"

She grinned again, pleased with his comment. "I want to ride
a pony."

Tom thought a moment and then leaned forward, whispering
into her ear. She looked at him and then over her shoulder,
pausing a moment. Then she nodded and turned, crossing the
lawn to where her grandfather sat. "Grandpa? Would you help
me to ride a pony?"

Kolopak looked at her and then smiled, rising slowly from
his chair. Holding out his hand, she took it and together
they turned and walked toward the barn. Maria watched them
go with an emotional expression, one of indescribable
happiness. Tom smiled too.

---

TBC in part 2
























The BLTS Archive - The Balm of Gilead- Part Two
by Helmboy (arcpus@yahoo.com)

---
Disclaimers in part one
---

"Grandpa?"

"What, my child?"

Sapphie regarded the tall handsome figure of her grandfather
with a serious expression. "Grandpa? How did you get here? I
know Cheyenne is your mom. But you already had a mom. You
did, didn't you?"

Kolopak looked down at his granddaughter, her deep blue eyes
regarding him with the utmost sincerity. "I do. That is I
did have a mother. You never met her."

"I never met you too until now," Sapphie replied watching as
her grandfather's experienced hands made short work of the
bellyband of the saddle on her small paint pony. She was
impressed and nodded her head in approval as she watched.

Kolopak smiled at this and sighed. "I don't know how or why
I came to be here but I am glad I came. I would miss this,
knowing you and all the other children if I hadn't."

"Do you remember where you were?" she asked taking the reins
as he stepped around to the other side of the horse.

He looked over the top of it and smiled. "I have vague
memories of a beautiful place where everyone I loved was
living. I remember speaking to your father a couple of
times. I don't think he believed it was me, but it was. I
remember being terribly happy."

Sapphie frowned. "Are you sorry you are here, Grandpa? That
place sounds nice."

"It was. But it wasn't as nice as here," Kolopak replied
with conviction. "The ones I love best are here, not there."

Sapphie nodded and smiled, her dimples plain on her face. "I
love you too, Grandpa."

Warmth came over Kolopak and his throat tightened painfully
with emotion. He nodded and smiled at Sapphie. "I love you
too, meijo."

"Daddy calls me that sometimes. Meijo." Sapphie smiled. "I
like that word."

"I have many words for you, meijo. I have a lifetime to tell
you."

Sapphie smiled and watched as he ducked down, sliding his
hand through the bellyband. "This isn't too tight. It isn't
too loose. I think you're ready to ride."

They both turned and paused, noting that three more children
were there staring at both of them with their big dark eyes.
Sapphie sighed turning to her grandfather. "I think we're
going to need more horses, Grandpa," she said a trace of
weariness and disgust in her voice. Her grandpa only
laughed.

---

"So when are you going to sit down and have a talk?" Tom
asked, rubbing his hair with a towel. He paused by the door
to the bathroom, watching as Chakotay tugged on sleep pants.

"I will," he replied.

Tom smiled slightly and turned, leaning in for a comb. "What
is at the root of your problem, Cochise?"

Chakotay sighed and shrugged, moving to the bed and climbing
inside. "I am worried for Chey. I don't want her to be some
kind of sideshow. If people find out Papa is back they will
come out of the woodwork to see him and then the questions
will start."

Tom crossed the room and slid into bed, laying back and
sighing as his muscles strained to relax. "We could always
lie."

"How?" Chakotay asked, turning to stare at Tom's profile in the
dim light of the moon that was filtering through the open window.
The heat of the day had receded and it almost felt too cool in
contrast. "What kind of lie could we tell that would make this make
sense?"

It was silent a moment and then Tom shrugged. "We could say
we found him on an asteroid. We found him on a planet all
alone all these years and brought him back. How about that?"

Chakotay snorted and smiled. "I am not against a lie but we
need a foolproof one to make it stand up to scrutiny."

"Or we could say it was providence and not tell anyone how
it came about. Fuck 'em," Tom said, the old daring-do
creeping into his voice.

"I like that one too," Chakotay said, smiling. "Plan B. I
would call that one Plan B."

Tom snorted and turned on his side. "Then there can be Plan
C to Z. I imagine between you and me and your brothers and
sisters we can come up with a whooper that will stand
scrutiny."

"I hope so, Slim. I sure hope so," Chakotay said wistfully.

---
Next day at the Home Ranch. . . 
---

Bey strode in, kids and dogs following in his wake. Ro,
carrying some pots she had decorated with Bajoran designs
followed, putting them down on a bench near the front door.
Maria would fire them and she would have them for flowerbeds
at her own house.

"MAMA!" Bey bellowed, stepping to one side. "There is a
turkey in the parlor!"

Maria, hair slightly askew leaned around the corner from her
huge kitchen. "Take it out, meijo. You have two hands." Then
she stepped back as if this was a normal occurance.

Bey, shaking his head turned into the parlor and began the
nosiy and rauccus pursuit of Maria's prized tom. Squawking
commenced from the turkey, Maria's scotty dogs and mutts
began barking and cats ran for all the corners of the
compass. Sapphie, who had come down to the house early came
into the hallway to help her uncle clean poultry out the
front door just as her fathers stepped inside.

"Bey, there's a turkey in the house," Tom said smiling
broadly.

"So you say, Tomas," Bey said laughing. "Damn. I can't
believe that we have come to this, poultry in the parlor."

Tom laughed and Chakotay smirked, slapping his brother on
the shoulder. "You do that better than I can remember
before."

"I'm a diplomat now," Bey said, smirking. "Putty in my
hands."

"Wash them," Maria said, poking around the corner once more.
"Breakfast is ready."

"Yes ma'am," both men said in unison. Tom snorted and walked
into the kitchen, hugging Ro. "This place is a zoo."

Kolopak, sitting in the corner with two hound dogs sleeping
on his feet smiled and nodded. "Buenos dias, Tom," he said
smiling.

"Buenos dias," Tom replied, bending down and taking
Kolopak's blessing. The rest filtered in, taking blessings
and full plates from Maria and her small squadron of
children looking to please. Walking through the open door to
the porch beyond, they found seats and steps to sit upon and
dine. The sun was up early and the heat was gathering.

"We're going to be watering the upper pasture. Do you need
to run your sheep there, Chakotay?" Bey asked, sipping tea
given him by his daughter.

"We can help you and Uncle Tom bring them up, Uncle
Chakotay," Charon said, turning and warming up to the idea.
Sapphie and Ella nodded along with Jake and two other lanky
cousins. "We can ride them up and use the dogs. Right,
Grandpa?" she asked turning and fixing her gaze on Kolopak
who had finished and joined them on the porch.

The expression on Kolopak's face was emotional and pleased
and then it was gone, replaced by his usual expression. He
blinked his eyes and nodded. "Yes, we can."

"Then it's a done deal," Bey said with an impossibly wide
smile.  "We'll drive them up the road and you can put yours
with the others as we go. Kids can ride; we can walk with
the dogs doing the work. Piece of cake."

"You just jinxed it," Rainey said, pausing as he came out onto
the porch. "Everytime one of you boys say that we all suffer
unforseen catastrophes. Consider that next time you guarentee
anything, Bey."

Bey grinned. "We're due for a change of luck."

"I think we already had one," Maria said, walking out onto
the porch, wiping her hands on her apron.

The front door slammed and the sound of feet drew their
attention. The doorway spilled open and boys came through,
dark haired and tall. Behind them, more came, younger, all
the same size and chattering happily.

"Well, you *finally* decided to get here," Tom said.

"We came pretty fast, Dad. *These* guys couldn't find their
shoes," Tom said, pointing back at his younger brothers and
sisters.

Sage wrinkled his nose. "You were no help."

"You can change that. Here. Today," Tom said rising and
turning. "See those bags over there?" Pointing to a pile of
sacks lying on the ground next to an alder tree, he turned
back, a huge smile of satisfaction on his face. "All you
have to do is fill them."

Groans filled the air and Tom cut them short. "Grandpa and
Nana need help getting the oranges in. Then there are the
peaches, pears and apples. Among other things. Those baskets
over there will be handy for that. Ladders for the older
kids, ground for the younger."

Chakotay snorted and glanced at his sister, Layla. "I hated
picking peaches. The fuzz itched me half to death."

"I remember," Layla said, smiling as she watched her son
pick up a basket and head for the orchard, numerous small
and large children following him. "I suppose we have to help
can them."

"I would share," Maria said, smiling.

---
Far away
---

She stood in a pool of light, marveling at the intensity
that color could produce. All around her were marvelous
things, stars that were being born and stars that were
dying. Comets streaked through the void and she knew that
something wonderful was coming. Her instinct had drawn her
here waiting for the greatness that would materialize before
her. The Elders had signaled it through the intuition that
connected them all no matter where they were. Something
tremendous was going to happen and so she was here ready to
watch and learn.

Learning was a deep and essential part of her kind, the
knowing of things and then remembering. They were the
guardians, the watchers. Nothing passed their scrutiny and
she was among the newest of her kind, choosing a glittering
ship form in which to make her debut. She was an infant
following in the footsteps of giants. They were the oldest
living things in the universe, this or any other and as
fragments of the underlying genius that Created All That Is
from a mere thought, they were the leading edge of this
genius, living the creation and providing experiences of it
to The Creator of All and the Others.

Light began to gather, a hint of the coming event. She could
feel many around her, most of them distant from her infant
perception. Some were going to come and some were going to
go elsewhere. This was their vehicle, their portal and she
waited in her protected place for it to happen. It had been
building, this crossover moment and she was lucky to be so
close to it.

The music of the darkness around her, permeated by flashes
of light that dazzled her began to grow and she could feel
the undulations that heralded what was to come. The Source
had explained it to her in ways she could grasp at her age
and development. The vastness and potential of it stuck with
her. The mechanics were still out of reach yet. The rumble
would come, the undulations and then a cataclysmic breach of
time and space that would be wondrous to behold.

Behind her, watching without her knowledge was the Oldest
One. Manifesting as an old man, summoning such granduer that
even time seemed to be shed its grasp upon Him, He watched
her, the vaguest notion of concern flitting across his brow.
She was unusual even among their kind. She was brighter and
more bold than most. Someone worth watching, the Old One
considered. Someone perhaps worth taking in hand at some
point perhaps.

At that moment vast mantles of energy touched and the flash
released was beyond superlatives. A wave of living fire
flamed all around and in the breaking of that second, which
seemed to last forever even as it took micro-nanoseconds to
complete great things occurred. In the middle of the breach
living beings emerged, those of her kind and they exhaled
their joy into the cosmos around them. She felt it and
smiled, spinning in the air as she enjoyed the return of
long gone members of her own species. They were ancient and
exuberant, returning to this universe through the explosion
created by the touching of two monstrous and malevolent
black holes. Time had rent in two and in the briefest of
moments when the laws of the universe rendered moot, three
old ones returned.

She could feel the pleasure of someone nearby, someone she
couldn't see. Someone was close, someone older than even she
could comprehend and she turned peering into the brilliant
sparkle of radiation and light, attempting to see the one
she knew was there. She failed and it wrinkled her brow a
second until she turned watching the fireworks that seethed
around her.

Death was occuring, a concept that she found vexing. There
also was birth, something she found fascinating. Love and
birth, belonging and caring, they were her favorite lessons,
the ones she pursued the most of late. This interest was her
newest acquistion from being with the Aniiri and going on
the mission to Raynor-si. She had found it fascinating along
with knowing that there were dimensions beyond counting
where equally interesting things were happening.

Smiling and clapping her hands, she watching with raptured
attention as two of the most deadly forces in the known
universe cannibalized each other. Only in the dimmest
recesses of her mind, waiting for more thought and
consideration did the saga of Kolopak of Dorvan V rest. That
was for later. This was for now.

---

TBC in Part 3











Balm of Gilead - Part Three
by Helmboy (arcpus@yahoo.com)

---
Disclaimers in part one
---
Later . . . 
---

"What is Sapphie doing?"

"She's marking them."

"I can see that. Pink paint. Why?"

"So we can get our own sheep back when we bring them down
from the meadows after the summer."

Pause.

"Why would it matter which ones we get back, Chakotay? We
have sheep out the wazoo. Maria stores some here; a couple
of them are Ella's."

Pause.

"Ella? Why are her sheep here?"

"She doesn't want them...  uh, that is...  she doesn't want
them in the freezer."

Pause.

"I'm going to have to talk to Neera. Those sheep can stay
here as long as they need to," Chakotay said, shaking his
head.

Barking commenced behind them and they turned, noting that
three border collies and a couple of Australian
Shepherd/Blue Heeler mixes were dancing around behind them.
Sitting on horseback, Bey and Nayib pulled up behind,
smiling as Tom and Chakotay turned from the fence they were
leaning upon. "Howdy, partner. Nice day for a 'drove'."

Tom snorted. "I thought cowboys were drovers and you Indian
types stole critters."

Bey hopped down and dropped his reins, his horse ground
hitching. "You have that backwards, white eyes. We are
merely appropriating what be ours." He grinned and slapped
Chakotay on the back. "You ready to head 'em up and move 'em
out?"

"No," he replied with a grin.

Bey snorted and grinned at them. "Too late. The kids have
the herd started from Mama's house and we will be picking up
others along the way. I wanted to have yours be at the end
and have the dogs move them. Can you open the gate, Tom? That
is if Sapphie is through decorating."

Tom turned and smirked, slipping the rope off the metalic
gate and moving it back. "Sapphie! Time to go!"

As the gate squeaked, dogs streaked forward moving with
intensity to round up the sheep. A few stray goats became
ensnared and Sapphie and Hero, running here and there tried
to separate them out.

"Sapphie! It's okay!" Chakotay called, laughing as they
failed to make the rampaging animals obey.

Throwing up her hands, Sapphie took Hero's hand and the two
of them hurried out of the way of the dogs as they worked
with machine-like precision to the whistled commands of
their masters, Bey and Nayib.

"They're pretty good at that," Tom marveled as bleating
streams of goats, sheep and one excited miniature horse made
their way out of the gate and into the yard where they
massed around the two saddle horses and a haying wagon.
Chakotay waded in and rescued the little mare, turning her
back to the pasture where her yearling foal stood braying
for her return. Tom slipped the rope over the fence and
turned, grinning broadly. "After you, Huck," he said to
Chakotay, who smirked and turned picking up a slender stave
of wood that he had stockpiled near the fence for poking
down hornets nests and riling up anthills.

Together, they turned and began to follow the wildly and
cleverly running dogs, the bleating sheep and goats and Bey
and Nayib, riding their horses, each with a girl behind
them. From the house, the slamming of the doors told them
that other children were coming along with sundry
useless-for-herding dogs and the whole menagerie made their
stately and noisy way around the sprawling house, out the
front gate and left down Pine Street toward the main road.

---
At Nana's...
---

"Here they come!" Jake cried, his horse tied nearby and his
dog shivering with the desire to move his Nana and Grandpa's
bleating sheep and goats out onto the road. His other
cousins rode ahead making sure that they could help anyone
who had the temerity to use the public road on such an
occasion, not getting too caught up in the river of wool that
would be coming their way shortly. There would be herds
coming over the hill from Jesse and Geno's houses and there
would be sheep from his own house and then the flocks from
his aunts and uncles that lived down the valley from them.
Cousins were also bringing them out, sharing dogs and horses
and littler kids to make sure they all converged on the
junction just up from his grandparent's house. Then it would
be over the hill, through a number of winding curves and
finally they would begin to climb the hillside up to the
higher ground where the summer meadows were.

Kolopak, enraptured with the moment, stood on the porch, his
arm around Maria who leaned against him, her face beaming
with joy. People had come in and out all morning, sharing
bread and fruit as the sun broke over the hilltops. They
would be moving the herds up to Bey's meadow pastures before
it got too hot and the journey would become too hard on the
smaller and more typically enthusiastic members of the
family.

Sheep breached the horizon and filled the road, hemmed in on
all sides by the stone and wire fences that ran throughout
the countryside in these parts. They could not stray and the
flashing of dogs here and there, some climbing over the
backs of the flock as it moved would not permit it anyway.
Tom adjusted the brim of his straw hat, glancing sideways at
Chakotay who was walking along gently, prodding the odd
slowpoke as it lagged or was distracted. "If anyone had told
me even a short time ago that I would do half of what I do
now I would have laughed."

Chakotay grinned and shrugged. "You love it."

"That is beside the point, Cochise," Tom said, his gaze
turned toward the home ranch. Maria and Kolopak were shooing
sheep out the gate of their house, dogs running here and
there, nipping and barking as they blended their sheep into
the herd passing. Tom waved and they waved back, wading
through animals and horseback riders until they joined Tom
and Chakotay at the end of the line.

"Looks like we get to eat dust," Maria said, laughing. She
looked so young and happy Chakotay smiled and hugged her.

"This may take a while. You two up to it?" Chakotay asked.

"Driving sheep to summer pasture is something I can do in my
sleep, Chakotay," Kolopak said, falling alongside his son. "I
remember more times than I care doing this with my brothers
and sisters. Then there were the times with you and the
others. A few times in the spring during snow storms," he
said his voice trailing off for a moment. "I do recall you
being a bit of a laggard."

Chakotay grinned. "I was," he said feeling Tom's smirk
burning a hole in his back.

They walked along comfortably chatting and reminiscing as
they slowly made their way to the junction. Horses and
riders congregated there, people trying to pass parked and
watched, chatting with the family as the sheep slowly and
noisily flowed past. By the time the end of the stream
finally topped the hill, a few neighbors had joined and were
walking along with the others. The dogs were doing all the
work, very few effort needed beyond redirecting them and
they were making good time. The sun was nearing noon when
they began to go down the other side.

As they passed the intersection and began to go downward, a
neighbor turned to talk to Maria. For a moment, Frank Little
Hawk paused and then he raised his hand stammering. "Kolo.
Kolo? Is that you? How in the hell are you... " His voice
trailed off and then stopped as he stood in shock and
surprise, his mouth moving but with nothing coming out. Chakotay,
Tom, Maria, and Kolopak stopped a moment and then Maria
stepped forward, drawing Frank to the side. She gestured
Kolopak to join her and nodded for Tom and Chakotay to keep
going. Reluctantly they agreed and, with backward glances,
they began to follow the flock.

"Oh-oh. This is going to be interesting," Tom said glancing
back to see Frank and Kolopak embracing.

"Frank went to grade school with Papa," Chakotay said. "They
were lifelong friends. I have a feeling the cat is out of
the bag now."

Tom glanced at Chakotay's worried face and then sighed. "I
wish I could say you were wrong."

They continued onward, following the flock as it wound its way
through the first of the several s-curves that would lead to
the trail to the upper pasture.

---
At the trail head...
---

"Bey!"

Beyvahl turned, looking over the churning sea of white wool
at the hail. Chakotay, in the back of the flock, was waving
and so he dismounted giving the reins to Sapphie and began
to edge his way through the turmoil to the end of the line.
By the time he had reached Chakotay more sheep had arrived
and the mass had them in the middle of a very long line.

"What?" Bey asked, pulling off his hat and wiping his brow
with his sleeve.

"Frank Little Hawk spotted Papa," Chakotay said, watching as
the same raft of emotions played across his brother's face
as had his own.

"Oh, oh," Bey said, biting his lower lip. "I was hoping we
would have had more time to construct something reasonably
plausible before anyone saw him. *Who the hell* is up this
early on a slow day like this? We picked this day to move
the sheep because no one is up and about."

"Well, they know. Frank knows. Mama and Papa are talking to
him now. Maybe they can make something good out of it, but
you better get down there and see what is happening,"
Chakotay said, a frown of worry on his face.

Bey nodded and looked back. "My ride is impossible. I'll
walk. You better make sure the sheep make it up the trail."
With that, he turned and began to jog down the road and over
the lip of the hill out of sight of all concerned.

"I think things are going to get interesting now, Chakotay,"
Tom said, watching as Bey disappeared.

Chakotay sighed deeply. "I think you're right, Tom," he
said, turning and continuing to follow the flock as it
meandered up the road to the summer pasture.

---
In the uplands...
---

They had managed to shepherd the last lamb through the gate
and, with a shout of triumph, they turned and began to go down
the winding trail that led to the road and home. Nayib,
three jumping dogs surrounding him, waved at Tom. He managed
to extricate himself and joined Tom who stood under a tree
and watched as the rest of the drovers climbed over fences
and gathered horses.

"You look pale," Nubby said, eyeing Tom for a moment. "What's
up?"

"Frank Little Hawk spotted your father," Tom replied,
shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know how this can end the
way you all wanted it to end."

Nubby, his face stilled by the revelation, nodded. "This
complicates things."

"You have a way with understatment," Tom replied as they
turned and began to go down the trail. Dogs ran ahead and
beside them worn out and exuberant with the day's work. Kids
on horses galloped past whooping and hollering as they made
tracks for their Nana's house. Dust hung in the air, the
smell of manure and lanolin was thick around them and the
sun beat down like a bitch.

"Well, this will speed it up," Nayib finally said.

"I dread this," Tom said honestly. "I am beyond the moon
over the possibility that your family is intact again,
Nubby, don't get me wrong. But this...  this oddity, I feel
dread."

"Don't worry, Tom," Nayib said slapping Tom on the shoulder.
"Bey and I will figure something out."

---
An hour later at the home ranch...
---

"I don't know that this is the best way, Papa."

Nayib stared at his parents, his siblings and myriad younger
members of the family. The oldest quads were standing and
sitting on the edge of the room listening with identically
serious expressions on their faces. Sio was sitting with her
head on Chakotay's lap and Jonah was sitting on the floor
next to Cheyenne. She was sitting with her arm around Hero,
Sage and Robby sitting nearby. Nayib blinked at the
duplication of image that always seemed to take him by
surprise, then turning his attention once again to Bey, who was
pacing back and forth nervously.

Layla sighed, shaking her head. "It is good that Frank will
keep the secret a little longer, but we do have to make
something that can allow us a life. Chakotay, what are your
feelings about this?"

Chakotay blinking with surprise sat up straighter as every
eye in the room fell upon him. "Uh, I... " He paused sighing.
"The world will find out. We just have to make sure its
gentle on the family."

"I hope you understand how happy we all are about this but I
also hope you understand the position that Cheyenne was put
in. I don't want her embarrassed or exploited. This is no
small thing having you back, Kolopak."

Kolopak, listening without comment, nodded. "And I share your
concerns even if I don't know how this came to be."

"I have a vague idea. Maybe," Cheyenne ventured her eyes
moving nervously from one adult to the other.

"What do you mean, baby girl?" Bey asked, frowning slightly.

Cheyenne cleared her throat nervously. "I had dreams."

Tom leaned forward, his eyes fixed upon her worriedly. "What
do you mean?"

"I had dreams," she said shifting nervously. "It wasn't
about Grandpa. It was about something else. You, uh, you
remember the last time you went on a mission with the
Aniiri?"

Chakotay and Tom nodded. "We did. They had a child ship."

"I had dreams about that ship."

It was silent a moment. "Tell us about them, meijo," Kolopak
said.

She looked at her grandparents their concern evident. "Well,
I had dreams that I was flying with the light ship, the
Aniiri vessel. We would fly through space and I would be
with her. She felt like a little girl, a sweet little
thing."

"She came to you in dreams? Or did you have dreams because
of the pictures we sent to you?" Chakotay asked.

"None of the scenes of the ship were in the dreams. The ship
was speaking to me and I...  I loved her. She was so
wonderful, so good. When I would go to sleep, she would
come."

"In what form?" Tom asked.

"As a little girl sometimes, the times we would walk and
talk together. Other times she came as a glittering ship."

Tom nodded. "What did you talk about, baby?"

"Family, love. She asked about emotions, about loving
people, about how one person could make things better. She
kept telling me about how one person can change the world."
Cheyenne looked at them. "I didn't do anything bad, did I?"

The tension left Tom and Chakotay at the same time.
"Cheyenne, you can't do anything wrong when you *do*
something wrong. You should know the two of us by now," Tom
said.

Cheyenne nodded, blinking back tears. Maria rose and walked
to her, sitting beside her and taking her hand. "Why do you
cry, granddaughter?"

"I just thought...  I didn't tell anyone about the dreams. I
though they were just dreams and nothing more. Now things
are getting to be troubling and I thought I did something
wrong."

"No," Maria said soothingly. "I'm afraid that I share the
same delusion as your parents. You can do no wrong."

Cheyenne chuckled and wiped her eyes, slipping her arms
around her grandmother. "I love you, Nana."

"And I love you, meijo. Now let us figure out what this
alien thing has done to make us so happy."

"It has to be her that caused this to happen. I don't know
how it could have otherwise," Nayib said, rising and walking
to the comm center in the hallway. He paused, then turned.
"What is the name of the Aniiri Captain that is with this
ship again?"

"Tan," Tom said absently. He sighed and leaned back
considering the possibilities. "I can assume that the ship
read our minds at some point and knows about our personal
lives."

"She might have seen not having Kolopak here was a deficit
in our happiness," Bey said, turning and eyeing his father.
"You told me that you can remember being in a good place and
surrounded by familiar people who have gone on ahead of you.
Then what?"

Kolopak thought a moment and then shook his head. "Not much.
Except that I was in a place that was safe and loving and
then I was here."

"Your brother spent time with you. You aren't a skinwalker,
Kolo," Maria said her chin firmly defiant. "He would know.
Walter knows the old ways better than anyone I know. I also
know you are who you are, your old self among us again. That
part is without dispute. What is not understood is how you
got here."

"Her people could make it happen," Tom said musing. He
glanced at Chakotay who nodded. "We have seen things in
space, Mama, that would curl your hair, improbable things.
The ship gave him to us back somehow. It would be within
their power, her people. I knew them pretty well a long time
ago. I didn't know the one I knew was one of them but he
was. There is nothing they could not do I am thinking."

It was silent a moment then Bey resumed pacing. "All right.
We concede that is how you got here. What we have to do now
is make it possible to present you to the world and not have
scrutiny into the mechanics of this harm any of us."

"Ah, that is the rub," Kolopak said softly, shaking his head.
"That is the rub."

---

TBC in Part 4








The BLTS Archive - The Balm of Gilead - Part Four
by Helmboy (arcpus@yahoo.com)

---
Disclaimers in part one
---
Later...
---

Kathryn hugged Maria and walked to the kitchen, sitting on a
chair as Maria bustled around getting tea things together. The
call had been urgent and she had beamned in from the other
side of the planet where B'Elanna and their kids were having
a family birthday vacation together. Three stops had gotten
her to their town and a ride with Nayib brought her to this
house.

The air of expectation was thick around her and she sat
waiting, sure that they would explain to her why they wanted
her to come to the house so suddenly. Tom and Chakotay
arrived and walked in, greetings and such accomplished by
the time Maria put food and teacups on the table. Settling
back, she grinned at her guests. "Kathryn, it's so good to
see you."

"It's always delightful to see you, Maria. So tell me, what
is the honor of the occasion?"

Chakotay cleared his throat and glanced at his brother.
Nayib, nodding to Bey who had just arrived and was standing
in the doorway, glanced at his mother. She nodded to him.
Kathryn, following the wordless conversation with great
interest, smiled. "So?" she asked again.

"We have a problem, Kathryn. That is, it's not a 'problem'
problem. We have an interesting dilemma that needs solving
that may have been started by Voyager," Maria said breaking
into a beautiful smile.

Kathryn smiled in spite of herself and looked quizzically at
Chakotay. He ducked his eyes and stared at his tea. Then Tom
snorted, looking at all around him. "Okay, here's the
problem. What we have is a...  a, well. Okay. You are aware of
Chakotay's father, Kolopak?"

"I am," Kathryn said, remembering more than one directive
from Star Fleet to find and capture this Maquis leader.

"Well, he's back." Tom glanced at Chakotay who looked up to
Kathryn and nodded.

"He's back. Kolopak," Kathryn said.

"Yes. He's back." Tom sat back and sighed, relieved that the
news was out at last.

"Kolopak is here. He's back," Kathryn asked, mulling the
news in her head. "You found him. Kolopak."

"Yes," Chakotay said. "It's a long story."

Kathryn nodded as Kolopak stepped into the room, a big smile
on his face. Kathryn looked at him and then at Maria,
herself smiling broadly. "More tea, dear?" she asked Janeway
with a grin.

---
Five minutes later...
---

"And that is what happened," Bey said, finishing the tale as
they knew it.

"My god," Kathryn said, cupping her tea, which she was yet
to sip. "This is mind boggling, Chakotay. I...  I guess I
shouldn't be so stunned, the things we have seen over the
years but this stuns me."

"You and me both," Chakotay said.

"Cheyenne. How is Cheyenne?" Kathryn asked, concerned.

At the sound of her name, Cheyenne peeked into the room, a
tense expression on her face. Kathryn jumped up and went to
her, hugging her tightly. "You never told me a thing. You
should have told me about this, Cheyenne. I could have
helped you. I could have held your hand long distance or
something. I'm very good at that."

Cheyenne stared at her godmother and then burst into
laughter. Hugging Kathryn tightly, she sighed. "I'm so
sorry, Aunt Kathryn. I am."

"You should be," Kathryn said, smiling. She was still miffed
but less so. "Your fathers will hear from me later. Are you
all right? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I guess so," Cheyenne said, shaking her head. "It is
so strange."

"But not unknown. I remember another case, I think it was on
the Enterprise," Kathryn began.

"Troi," Tom said, sighing. "She had a similar experience.
It's the only one in the databases that we could find."

"But that was an entity wanting to experience life. This is
a life that was lived and over and now back again," Kathryn
said, turning and fixing her gaze upon Kolopak, who was
sitting next to Maria, watching her with amusement. "Nothing
personal."

"True," Kolopak agreed, smiling in spite of himself.

"What do you remember before remembering this?" Kathryn
asked.

"I... " Kolopak stopped, thinking hard. "I find its fading. I
remembered better where I was when I first came here. Now
it's like a dream you had that you remember but fades as
time goes by."

"He said that he was in a lovely place, a safe and wonderful
place with people in the family that had already passed,"
Maria said, taking Kolopak's hand. "Then he was here."

Kathryn sat down and considered what she had said. "How
could Cheyenne have this experience if it is a passing space
entity? And she wasn't in space too... "

"We think it's more explicable than that, Kathryn," Chakotay
said. "We think the child ship had something to do with
this. Cheyenne has had dreams of her, of them talking about
family and love and life."

Kathryn looked at Cheyenne, biting her lower lip as she
considered this. "No one said that the entity would be
dangerous. We know they can be," she said, glancing at Tom.
Visions of Rell filled her mind as she considered the forms
that this alien species took to mingle with the lesser
evolved beings that they were supposed to observe. "This is
not something I have heard of happening. Tan and the others
say that they are very genuinely good and would never harm
anyone."

"Maybe she doesn't know that she can do that," Bey said.
"Maybe she thinks she is being kind."

"She is. She only wants happiness," Cheyenne said nodding.

"Well, I don't know that her people would be too happy with
her messing around with the laws of physics and all the
rest," Chakotay said, leaning back in his chair. "You were
not supposed to be here. I am intensely grateful that you
are but I think if they had known about this, she would have
not been allowed to do it."

"Do you really believe such omnipotent beings don't know
what she has done?" Kathryn asked.

"No," Chakotay agreed. "I sort of think they feel it's too
late to 'fix' this, thank goodness. Or else I think they
would have done something about it."

"Do you have anymore dreams, Cheyenne?" Kathryn asked.

"No," Cheyenne said, thinking for a moment. "No. I'm sorry."

"For what?" Tom asked. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"We need to talk to the Aniiri," Kathryn said.

"We have a call in," Bey said. "We hope to have Tan on the
line in a few minutes."

Kathryn nodded and glanced at her cup. "I think my tea is
cold."

"I have gallons more where that came from," Maria said
rising.

Kathryn looked at Kolopak, now observing her with interest.
"I was given orders to find and capture you."

"I know. We used to read them," Kolopak said, grinning.

"You had a mole," Kathryn said, smirking slightly.

"Maybe," Kolopak replied with a smile.

"Kathryn," Nayib said, peeking around the corner. "We have
Tan on the comm."

They all rose and filed out into the hallway, entering the
large living room and assuming positions on the couches,
chairs and benches. Tan's image filled the comm screen,
which had been turned to face the room. She looked surprised
and interested. Kathryn stopped in front of the screen.
"Hello, Captain Tan."

"Hello, Captain Janeway. What can I do for you? I was told
you have a problem that may include the child."

Kathryn nodded, shrugging slightly. "We are not sure,
Captain." With that, Kathryn explained the situation as it
stood. When she was through, they were all silent. Tan was
distressed.

"This is not good news, Captain. I am at a loss for words."

"You and me both," Janeway said with a nod.

---

Continued in Part 5




by Helmboy (arcpus@yahoo.com)

---
Disclaimers in part one
---
At Maria and Kolopak's house...
---

"This is...  is impossible," Tan said, her distress coming
clearly even through the veil she wore. "How can this be?"

"We have theories but nothing concrete," Janeway replied,
glancing over her shoulder to Chakotay and Tom.

Tom cleared his throat. "We believe that she might have been
accessing our memories and thoughts, perhaps when we were
sleeping. We're not sure. She has been coming to Cheyenne in
her dreams. The only way she could know about Cheyenne, as
far as we know, would be from us. That is, if that is the
only way she can find out about other people and their
lives. Do you know more?"

Tan shook her head, puzzled for a moment. "Few of us have
had as close a relationship physically than you had with
Rell."

Chakotay tensed and then relaxed, glancing at Tom for a
second. "How do you know about Rell?"

"We have some records however slight of most of the Great
Ones who had appropriated a humanoid form. We do not know
much beyond his difficulties with the law during his
incarnation, but we do know that Mr. Paris had access to
him."

Tom sighed, enduring the fleeting glances from everyone
around him. "You know about the Middle Ground. Maybe you
don't know that they can read every thought and action you
ever had in your life. I am not sure you have to be in
proximity for that to happen, but they can do it."

"That would confirm suspicions. I didn't want to invade your
privacy. It is not our way," Tan said.

"I appreciate that but right now you should know that there
probably isn't a secret thought or action from the entirety
of your life that the child doesn't know about. Now whether
she understands what it all means is another thing," Tom
said.

"This is...  this is disconcerting," Tan said, genuinely
distressed. "I am at a loss to understand how Kolopak can be
here. I don't understand the way of your death or its
rituals or your beliefs. How you can come back to your
existence once its extinguished is something I cannot
fathom."

Kolopak shrugged. "We are energy. We are spirit. That
doesn't end. We have always believed that we continue in
another place. Perhaps she has access to that."

"That means she can form beings back into their original
state from their current energy state. I don't know what to
think of that. Has this sort of thing ever been known among
your people?" Janeway asked.

Tan thought a moment and then shrugged anxiously. "I am not
sure. I would have to check. May I go and research and call
you back?"

"Of course," Janeway said, nodding.

Tan nodded back and the screen went blank. Kathryn turned,
noting the serious expressions on all involved. "Does anyone
else but family know about Kolopak's return?"

Bey nodded. "One of Papa's friends, Frank Little Hawk. He's
agreed to keep the secret but how long can we? We have to
make a plausible explanation... "

"One that eliminates Cheyenne's contribution if we can,"
Chakotay chimed in.

"Then we have to be ready to introduce Papa back into the
world. People will be intensely interested when this breaks
big. We have to be ready for all continguencies," Bey said.

Kolopak sighed. "This is getting to be a problem."

Nayib grinned and slapped his father on the shoulder. "Do
you think?" he asked, drawing laughter.  Kolopak looked at
his son and shook his head. "So now you are the fathers and
I am the son to be protected."

"Looks like it," Chakotay said squeezing his father's arm
affectionately.

"And we shall let them," Maria said, crossing her arms
formidably.

"Apparently we shall," Kolopak said, smiling at his wife.

---
Aniira...
---

Tan hurried to the den at her house beginning a search
through the specialized database that only guides could
access. It contained all of the information ever known about
the Ancient Ones and their many and sundry possibilities.
She had spent two hours reading and cross checking when it
became clear that they were dealing with a new phenomenon.
She sat mulling things and realized that she had to consult
the Oracle. That would require going to the Temple and
asking personally. She turned and walked to the bedroom,
rummaging around for the scarlet robe that identified her as
an occolyte to the Oracle of the People. As she did, Deanna
Troi entered, pausing at the emotional disarray of her
spouse. "What's happened? I felt your distress."

"There is something wrong happening, something new," she
said, stripping off her coat and vest. Pulling the robe on
around her, she pulled the hood up and adjusted the black lace
veil across her face. "I have to go."

"I'll go too," Deanna said, dropping the book she was reading
on the bed.

"You cannot," Tan said, pausing and resting her hands on
Troi's shoulders. "I have to consult the Oracle."

"Why?" Troi asked, her voice couched with concern.

"The child. She's done something no one has ever seen
before," Tan said. "I don't know how to respond."

"I will go with you," Troi said, turning and walking to the
door. "I will wait outside for you."

Tan paused and then nodded, the two walking to the door of
their country villa. Gathering her garb, Troi shrugged into
it as the two hurried out to their transport beyond.

---
At the Sanctuary of the Oracle of Aniiri...
---

They arrived and Tan swept out, running toward the garden
path that wound through trees and ornamental ponds toward
the enormous glittering gate that led to the sanctuary of
the Oracle. Monks and petitioners, sitting here and there,
watched as she ran past them, violating in her haste the
unspoken rules of calmness and propriety.

Reaching the gate, she paused and bowed, gathering her wits
as she then began to walk slowly toward the great copper
doors that led inside. The smell of perfume, the result of
mountains of flower offerings filled the air as she entered
the cool shaded interior. People sat on the benches that
ringed a great fire pit, whispering their chants and prayers
to the Oracle. The flickering light of the fire, one that
was always kept going by the attendents of the shrine cast
long shadows here and there. She continued past the fire,
people bowing to her as she passed them a consequence of her
status as a Guide. She made her way to the simple oaken
doors that led to the inner sanctum where the Oracle lived.
Pushing the doors open, she entered pausing to adjust her
eyesight to the gloom.

An attendent sitting by the last door between her and the
Oracle rose, bowing. "You wish to consult the Oracle in your
current state of mind? That is against the rules, Lady. You
must contain your energy or you will not have a good
reading."

"I have an urgent concern, Monk. I have a problem with my
child." Tan swallowed. "I am filled with dread for your well
being."

The Monk stood a moment absorbing Tan's energy and then
nodded, bowing. "You may enter."

Tan bowed low and then moved toward the door which the monk
opened, allowing her into the interior. She entered a large
circular room paneled with silver, copper and gold. It gave
a mellow cast to the light given off by a large crystal
jewel that was set into the floor. She moved to it and sat
cross-legged, clearing her mind for the Oracle. She felt the
care falling away as an independent energy replaced it, an
energy that felt like music and beauty. It was hard to
describe the manifesting presence of the Oracle. The
vastness of its power was more than her language ever could
express. She sat and waited for an invitation to talk.

For a moment there was nothing, just the light and gentle
touch of the entity's energy and then the invitation came.
The scene transformed and she was in the Middle Ground, the
vastness of the universe all around her and the green grass
of the plain of dreams was underfoot. It was where the child
ship always took her and most of the interactions between
human or Aniiri and the Old Ones happened there. However,
there was something different this time. The river was gone.
The river was changed. It was standing before her, glowing
with beauty in the form of a silver crane. Its delicate
wings were close to its body and long feathers of shining
softness surrounded its body. "What brings you to me, Tan? I
sense your turmoil. You may tell me what you will."

Tan began haltingly to explain the call from Dorvan V, the
entity listening and nodding slightly from time to time. It
didn't feel odd to her at all that she was talking to such a
creature. When she had finished, Tan sat and waited, her eyes
averted respectfully. The Oracle stood silently, seeming to
digest the news and then she sighed. "The wind blows and
changes the sand. The path once closed is clear."

Tan looked up and frowned slightly. "I don't understand you,
Oracle."

The Oracle leaned in and looked at her closely. "Your child
is not like the others. Your child is not the same. She is
the wind that blows the sand. What was once lost is found."

"Kolopak."

The Oracle nodded. "It is not usual for this to happen. Once
it has though the future is changed. She has erased one
track and another one forms. That is the way it is supposed
to be. You do not have to understand her and she probably
doesn't understand herself. She is headstrong and a most
unique one, this young one. She is a seeker and you must not
forget that she is powerful but she is good."

"She has done something that I don't understand and has
never been seen before in our knowing. She has made a spirit
come back from where it went upon death. I don't understand
that," Tan said, her voice strained.

The Oracle nodded. "You don't believe that when it's over
our spirit disapates into nothingness do you, Guide?"

"No," Tan said with conviction. "I am just disconcerted that
she has done something that is unhealthy or wrong to do, to
interfere with others and their destiny. There is a large
family involved here as well."

The Oracle ruffled her wings, long slim feathers fluffing
and then settling. "Yes. I can see your point. However, you
must understand that for every life that is lived there are
multiple paths for that life to follow. The paths open or
close because of choices they make during life. If one
closes, others open. This could be one of those paths."

"You don't know?" Tan asked, surprised.

The Oracle chuckled. "You have not asked me that question."

"I ask now," Tan said with a smile.

"Ah, the ultimate question. Consider that every life is a
path that has crossroads. Each crossroad is a choice. Take
one and the others close. They were roads untaken and the
possibilities are unknown. It could be that the choice of
coming back or not was one of this spirit's life options. We
do not know that because they are not here to say. However,
it is possible. All things are possible. The child saw this,
perhaps felt it and offered the choice. The spirit took it.
End of story."

Tan watched the crane glittering in the moonlight of a
million million stars, and sighed. "End of story. I fear for
the possibilities, Oracle. She did not tell me what she did.
She is communing now and I cannot reach her."

"She will return when the moment passes. They gather," the
Oracle said her voice becoming dreamy with thought. "The
gathering is for reunion."

"Of who, Oracle?" Tan asked.

"Of lost ones. They came back." The crane sighed. "You must
not interfere. The child is in their sights. They are aware
of her independence. They will step in when they need to but
you cannot do anything but what you are supposed to do."

"What do I tell the family?" Tan asked.

"Tell them...  all is well," the Oracle said. "All is well."

Tan sat a moment and then sighed. As she did, the scene
changed and the room was back. The light of the jewel in the
floor glinted off the panels as Tan mulled over the news.
Raising up stiffly ,unaware that several hours had passed by,
she turned and walked to the door. Bowing slightly to the
attendent, she walked through the shrine and out into the
courtyard where Deanna Troi waited. Troi came to her, taking
her hand. "What happened?"

"The Oracle...  she said all is well." Tan paused, staring up
at the sun. In the universe somewhere, her child was
communing with others of her kind. The ship would appear
again when it was time to go back and hopefully then she
could find out what the child was up to, what motivated her
to strike out on her own in this unheard of maneuver. Until
then she had to wait and worry. The Oracle said there was
nothing to be worried about. Her kind would step in when
needed. That was not in her makeup to be free of concern.
Together they turned and walked toward their vehicle and
home again.

---
A day later...
---

"The database is clear. This is unprecedented. The Oracle
herself said that 'all is well'. This is the way it was all
meant to be. If a spirit didn't want to come, it wouldn't."

Everyone turned toward Kolopak who was sitting on a chair
nearby listening thoughtfully. Bey looked back at Tan.
"Where is the child now?"

"She is at a gathering," Tan said. "She is with her kind for
an event that she didn't elaborate to me." Tan sounded a
tiny bit disappointed and hurt but covered it with a sigh.
"She is due back hopefully soon so we go back to Raynor-si.
By the way, have you gotten the latest intel about the Dead
Zone?"

"No," Kathryn said.

"The energy activity is growing. Some parts of the sector
have become unpassable again."

"Is there any science behind it yet?" Nayib asked, frowning.

"None so far," Tan said. "I want to ask the child when she
returns."

"All right. Then we have learned about all we can right now
I think," Bey said sighing. "Thank you, Captain. We should
be learning about the mission shortly. If you find out ahead
of us, we would appreciate a call and we will call you as
well. I have this strange feeling that this is going to be a
part of the short term for all of us."

Tan nodded. "I will, Ambassador. Good luck with your
'problem'," she said, smiling slightly. Then the screen went
blank.

Bey turned and looked at his father. "Well, it appears that
all is well."

"I could have told you *that*," Maria said, her hands on her
hips. Kolopak just smiled.

---
The next day...
---

"I think you need to go and have a chat."

"I will."

"At what point? You get a second chance. Go. Talk." Tom
stared at Chakotay, the older man hunched over a dog as he
clipped nails. Standing in a circle around him, calmly
waiting their turn, the family's ten dogs panted and wagged
their tails.


"I will. I just have to do this."

"It can wait. Go."

Chakotay looked up considering Tom's intractable expression
and sighed. He rose and tossed the clippers to Tom. "You
win." With that, he turned and walked to the front door, the
sound of it slamming shut music to Tom's ears. Turning and
confronting ten dogs standing and one still sprawling on the
floor, he sighed. "Don't look at me," he said, tossing the
clippers on the table. "I ain't crazy."

---
Minutes later...
---

Chakotay walked through the door of his mother's house and
looked in the dim light for someone. No one was in the house
and so he turned and walked to the back deck. His mother was
working on her kitchen garden, bent over with her hand tools
and large straw hat. She stood up and smiled. "Hello,
meijo."

Chakotay hugged her. "How are you doing?"

"Just fine. Papa is in the barn."

He nodded and stepped around her unaware of the happy look
on her face as she watched him walk to the barn and enter.
The darkness and relative coolness compared to the outside
was a relief to Chakotay and he stood inhaling the sweet
smell of hay and feed, leather and animals.

"Over here."

He turned and noticed his father mucking out stalls. Turning
and taking a shovel, he walked into the stall next to him and
began. Kolopak smiled. "You didn't have to be told."

"No," Chakotay replied. "I have a little more experience
with this sort of thing than I used to."

Kolopak smiled. "I didn't know you mucked stalls in space."

Chakotay chuckled. "You need to come over to the farm more
often. Sapphie and the little kids have decided that they
are going to mother half the world's animals. I was clipping
dog nails before I came over. Eleven dogs."

Kolopak snorted and paused, leaning on his shovel. "Eleven.
That's about the right number. Any of them earn their keep?"

"A couple. The rest I am told with authority are just really
cute."

"Your mother still keeps scotty dogs," Kolopak said, sighing.
"I have never understood it. I lean more toward border
collies."

"Good dogs, those," Chakotay agreed.

They worked through the stalls amiably and then carried to
the wheelbarrows full of manure out to the pile behind the
barn. Nearby, like little igloos, Maria's outdoor oven and
three kilns squatted, ready for the manure to fire them up.
Looking out to the creek that fed across the pasture,
Kolopak turned and began to walk to the gate. "I haven't
looked at the condition of the creek bed after the winter.
Care to join me?"

Chakotay nodded and together they went through the gate,
hiking toward the creek and following it toward a copse of
trees that lined the small hill near the cornfield that they
had planted in the spring. They inspected the stream,
pulling a few limbs out of it and restacking rocks before
reaching the trees and shade. Sitting on a rock, wiping
their brows, they sat contentedly together. A hawk circled
overhead and a stray cloud floated across a deeply blue sky.
It was intensely quiet.

"This is beautiful. I remember it being so, but it is nice to
see it again," Kolopak said.

"It's odd," Chakotay said. "You being here is odd. I...  I'm
sorry that I haven't been more openly delighted to see you
again. It was just that it happened with Cheyenne and I
don't know how to fit this into my brain, it's so strange."

Kolopak chuckled. Looking at his son, he gave him a measured
look. "And now? Now that you have had a chance to cogitate
on it?"

Chakotay sighed and smiled, looking at his father with
affection. "I'm glad," he said. "I'm just so glad."

Kolopak smiled and squeezed his son's arm. "We really didn't
part the last time very well, did we?"

"No, and I regretted it all this time," Chakotay replied,
staring at the toe of his boot.

"I know," Kolopak said, glancing at his son. "I don't
remember much from before now, but I remember hearing your
voice talking to me, telling me about your life and telling
me how sorry you were."

"You heard me?" Chakotay said, looking up surprised.

"I remember hearing you all and wanting to comfort you but
having little luck. Grief and regret was a wall I couldn't
climb over. But I was there, I was listening. I was loving
you anyway."

Chakotay nodded. "I tried to tell you all the things I
regretted not saying when you were here. I am sorry for a
lot of things."

"I am too," Kolopak said. "I am sorry that I didn't know
about how you loved men, about how much satisfaction you got
out of what you do. I am sorry that I didn't understand how
much different you were and how much you wanted to go your
own way. I should have let you, helped you more," Kolopak
said sighing with regret.

"I should have told you. How is it that people can never
talk until it's too late? We should have talked about
everything," Chakotay said.

"You did after I left. I knew about your family and Tom,"
Kolopak said. "I have to say, I don't understand how that
man could do what he did. But then, I am hearing that you
can con the pennies off a dead man's eyes."

Chakotay laughed and shook his head. "Tom is my rock, my
whole world. Everything that is beautiful and good in my
life, I got with him. We are a team, Papa, the best team."

"I can see that," Kolopak said, smiling. "I love those kids.
There are so many good kids in this family. I am well
pleased with you all."

"Nayib will be glad to know that. He held himself
responsible for your fate," Chakotay said.

"I know. We have talked."

It was quiet a moment and then Kolopak stood, stretching.
"You will be leaving soon to go into space."

"Yes," Chakotay said.

Kolopak nodded. "Good. You will make us all proud."

Chakotay looked at his father and stood up. Standing
awkwardly for a moment, he stepped forward and they
embraced. Holding each other tightly for a moment, Chakotay
sighed. "I'm glad you heard me."

Kolopak squeezed him and let go, smiling at his son as
Chakotay pulled himself together. "We should look upstream
shouldn't we? Never know what lies around the bend."

Chakotay chuckled and smiled. "You never know."

Together they turned and continued along the stream, talking
and clearing obstacles as they went.

---

to be continued in Part 6 




The BLTS Archive - The Balm of Gilead - Part Six

by Helmboy (arcpus@yahoo.com)

---
Disclaimers in part one
---
San Francisco, Star Fleet Command...
---

The data flowed into terminals and analysts sorted through
it, looking for a pattern that might explain the isolated
reports coming in from deep planted assets from all over the
rim and beyond. Cardassia was again rumored to becoming
unstable and the energy fluctuations in the Dead Zone were
increasing. Spies all over the area were telling of the
return of the Bacolar. All sorts of reliable sources were
reporting that alliances were forming and unforming,
regrouping toward meeting that challenge. The newly freed
peoples of the area around Raynor-si were vascilating and
posturing, hoping to be on the winning side as soon as that
side was sorted out.

Matthew ben Aaron was getting briefings at all hours of the
day and night and communicating with his counterpart in the
Frontier Guard of the NAWC. It was clear that someone would
have to go out and look at what was shaping up. That someone
would in most likelihood be Voyager, and perhaps Enterprise,
once more. The K'aith would be an ally to count on. That
would help. They would need it, he thought as the door to his
office opened and his aide-de-camp came in, data padd in
hand.

"I am sorry to interrupt you, sir, but something has come up
that requires your attention."

"Thank you," he said, taking the padd and scanning it
quickly. It was a deep space message sent to him through the
array that expedited messaging from the Rim and beyond to
Star Fleet Command on Earth. He sighed. "This isn't good."

"No," his aide replied, his Vulcan inscrutability as intact
as ever. "Your orders?"

"Get Picard and Janeway on a call immediately," he said,
placing the padd next to the pile of oddities that suddenly
began to make sense now. "Hurry."

---
Pine Street, New Taos, Dorvan V...
---

The night was full of stars when they got the call. Star
Fleet was ordering a search for two science ships that had
fallen off the radar near the Dead Zone. Exploring the newly
available sectors of that volatile area, the Appalachian and
the Setna, both of them deep space capable, had ceased to
transmit. A freighter passing by the area found debris that
could indicate that one or both of them had been damaged in
a firefight. They had fled the area, sending what information
they could on ahead before they too disappeared. No one was
sure who might be responsible but with the emergence of a rebel
faction on Cardassia along with the return anticipated of the
Bacolar, it was clear that someone didn't want any scrutiny
in their area.

Janeway pulled into the driveway and climbed out of her
vehicle, noting that lights were on all over the house. The
kids were there in force and she smiled even though she knew
she was the bearer of bad news. They were going to be
deployed early. The ship was being geared up, including an
expedited fitting of new equipment and armor.

By the time she had reached the door she was surrounded by
dogs, wagging their tales and barking. Chakotay opened the
door and she stepped in, hugging kids and joking with Tom
about being out without supervision. She smirked and nodded
to the two of them that they needed to talk without
interruption. Cheyenne, expert as always at reading body
language, steered them into the kitchen while blocking
younger kids, dogs, cats and a parrot that was ambling along
the floor talking to itself. She stood in the doorway joined
by Chakotay and Tom, and listened.

"Well, it appears we have to go early," Kathryn said
accepting her coffee with a sigh. "Star Fleet just sent
orders and the Frontier Command concurs."

"Why?" Tom asked his mind already racing with the problems
they would face with such an abrupt tasking.

"There are ships disappearing along the leading edge of the
Dead Zone."

"Our side?" Chakotay asked.

She nodded. "Yes, and one of them is commanded by Geordi
LeForge."

"Picard will not be happy," Tom said, shaking his head.

"Picard is coming with us. We are to find out what happened
to the Appalachian, the Setna and a freighter that found
debris indicating a fire fight."

"Oh crap," Tom said, sighing. "When do we go?"

"Tomorrow night is hoped for. Sooner if we can," she said,
rising. "I am putting out the call. People from other
planets have already been notified. The ship is being
prepped. We can assume this will be a shooting expedition
and so I would ask you to consider coming solo this trip."
She glanced at the doorway. "I would not bring kids."

Cheyenne swallowed hard. "We'll take care of the little
ones. Don't worry about us."

Tom felt his throat constrict and he looked at his daughter.
"Name a time when I ever had to worry about you kids."

She smiled slightly and turned, assuming a natural command
once more of the situation. "We have to get ahold of Jesse
and Andrew and then the rest of the family. We can schedule
this. I have to go to work with Uncle Bey," she said, pausing
and turning. "Any diplomats?"

"No. No other family but your folks this time, darling,"
Kathryn said.

"Okay. Then we can do this." The boys nodded and Chakotay
slipped his arm around Cheyenne's waist. "We can," he said,
Tom nodding. Geno, standing behind Tom sighed. "We will, Tom
and Chakotay. Don't worry about a thing."

Kathryn smiled and rose, sipping one last drop. "I gotta go.
I'm due in Tersis in an hour. B'Elanna is already on board,
speeding things up. Try and come as soon as you can." She
turned and hugged her way out of the house, leaving behind a
solemn crew.

Tom, standing on the porch with Chakotay, shook his head.
"This is a steaming pile, Chakotay."

"I know," he said turning and looking into the solemn faces
of his children. "But we've done it before, we will do it
again." They all nodded in agreement.

---
At Grandpa and Nana's house...
---

"How long will you be gone?" Maria asked.

"I don't know, Mama. Cheyenne is strawbossing everyone here
and getting things in order. They are going to divide the
little ones between the house here and Andrew's house. I
know we can count on you to help. I am sorry this turned out
this way, but they need a rescue in the Dead Zone and we have
to join Enterprise. By the way, this is not for public
discussion yet. We don't want people to panic about the
possibilities."

Maria nodded, glancing at Kolopak who stood next to her
before the comm screen. "Miriam and Nayib, Ro and Bey can
help us. We do not lack for helpers," she said, blinking back 
her tears. "I am sorry, Chakotay. I just wished you could have
more time now that Papa is here."

Chakotay nodded, swallowing hard. "We will be back. You know
that is so."

She nodded. "We know that is so."

"We will help the children and keep the farm up. Don't worry
about it," Kolopak said.

"I do. I worry about how the people will find out about you
and how it will take away your privacy and all of it, Papa,"
Chakotay said.

"You must leave that up to Beyvahl and Layla. They told me
they were in charge of my 'debut' as they called it,"
Kolopak said. "Don't forget the Oracle said 'all is well'."

Chakotay smiled. "She did, didn't she?" He grinned at them a
moment and then nodded. "I will call you shortly. We have to
get going here."

"We will come right over. We are just waiting for Nayib and
Miriam," Maria said. "They were coming for dinner tonight."

"All right," Chakotay replied. "We'll see you shortly." He
commed off and turned facing three very solemn faced
children and two dogs waiting behind him for attention. "You
look pretty sad."

"We are," Hero said, biting her lip. "We don't want you to
go. We want you to stay here around the house."

"I will be coming back. Daddy and I will. We always do.
Someone is lost and we have to find them. Imagine how their
kids feel about that," Chakotay said, kneeling and pulling
them closer. Two bloodhounds moved closer too and licked him,
drawing chuckles from everyone.

"I think Hootie just kissed you, Papa," Robby said patting
his dog on the back.

"He did," Chakotay said. "Dog kisses. The only thing better
is kid kisses." He pulled them in and kissed them, holding
them close and willing the tears to stay away. Rising, he
looked down at them and smiled. "You do know that the hens
need their eggs taken and the goats need food. You will have
to curry the little horses and water the plants. You have to
be the farmers now. Daddy and I will be needing vegetables
when we get back and you have to do the working."

"We will, Papa," three children replied earnestly.

Chakotay knelt and touched their faces, his own shining with
love and pride. "It never occurred to me, my babies, that
you wouldn't."

They hugged again and then turned and walked into the
kitchen where Aunt Layla and Aunt Neera were sitting already
holding teary children and waiting for reinforcements. Geno
was making coffee and looking miserable as was Tom. Chakotay
was as stoic as ever and Cheyenne was making lists and
schedules, burying her own distress in organization as usual.
Tom, himself finished packing, was dressed in his uniform
and sitting on a chair two kids in his lap. "Your uniform is
ready and your bags are packed, Chakotay. We are ready to
pick up and go when we decide to."

"Not yet, Daddy," Hero said standing before him, a kitten
for comfort in her arms. "You can stay here for a while,
can't you? You can stay at the house with us for a while.
Right, Papa?" she asked turning her big eyes up to Chakotay
for support.

Chakotay leaned down and kissed her. "We will stay as long
as we can, princess."

Sapphie, leaning on the counter beside Andrew swallowed.
"More princesses. You have too many princesses, Papa."

"A man can *never* have too many princesses, Sapphire Miriam
Maria," Chakotay replied with a smile. She smiled at him,
her golden-haired, blue-eyed beauty warming him as ever.
Then he turned and walked down the hall to the stairs and
his uniform. Sapphie watched him go and then followed. "Papa
might need some help," she said huskily as she left.

Tom blinked hard and straightened up. "You know you two
would be easier to hold if you didn't have a puppy in your
arms."

Cochise and Sage looked at him and then leaned back, holding
him and their puppies tighter. The front door opened and
dogs barked as Kolopak and Maria walked in, a bustling and
distressed Miriam and stoic Nayib behind them. "Well, what
can we do to help you, Tom?" Miriam asked, glancing at all
the children standing silently around their father.

"It's pretty much all done and Cheyenne is generalissimo of
this campaign. She pretty much can let you know," Tom said,
smiling wanly.

"Okay," Miriam said, wringing her hands and smiling. "We will
do that. Cheyenne is a genius at this, aren't you, baby?"

Cheyenne smiled and nodded, blinking back tears. "We will do
the job together, Grandma."

Kolopak, moving to a free chair looked at Tom and nodded.
"This is sudden."

"It always is," Tom said. "The sooner we go the better.
Maybe we can stop something before it gets too close or too
big. Enterprise is coming with us."

"Enterprise," Kolopak said with a nod. "It's hard to think
of them as an ally now."

Tom grinned. "I've heard that a lot here."

Chakotay entered the room his uniform squared away. His
father looked at him and then smiled slightly. "You look fit
and handsome, Chakotay."

Chakotay paused and turned, smiling. "Thank you," he said
simply. For a moment it was silent and then Hero burst into
tears. Miriam scooped her up and hugged her. Looking at
Chakotay with tear-filled eyes she murmured, "Do you have to
go now?"

Chakotay nodded, looking at Tom who was hugging his two
children even closer. Then he rose, setting them on the
floor. They hugged all of them, shaking hands and hugging,
making promises about the home and kids and all that
entailed. Mothers and siblings, grandmothers, fathers and
grandfathers hugged and said goodbye.

Children, some stoic and some crying their eyes out hugged
and hugged. Dogs barked and the parrot squawked from the
ceiling fan where it had taken refuge in the slow moving
tragedy making its way to the front door. As they got there,
the door burst open and Bey, Ro and Charon came in, winded
from the effort to get to the house in time. Bey grabbed
Chakotay and held him as Ro did the same for Tom. Kolopak,
standing in the hallway, had tears in his eyes. Maria stood,
holding his hand.

Jesse moved to the porch, a tearful Jonah and Sio holding
each of his hands. Andrew, his arms around Sapphie, stood in
the doorway waiting for his turn. Everyone was talking,
making promises, and Tom and Chakotay were making their own.
"We'll be back really soon. We will be careful. We are
experts at this. We survived the Delta Quadrant. This? A
piece of cake. Don't worry. Brush your teeth. Be good to
your grandparents. Cheyenne and the older kids, you mind
them. Write to us. We'll write every day. We love you. We
love you. We love you."

By the time they made it to the ground car they were wrung
out and with Bey at the wheel, at his insistance, they began to
pull out when Kolopak waved them to stop. He opened the door
and climbed in. Then they rode away toward Pine Street and
the off world port in New Taos nine miles away.

It was quiet a long time after they left.

---
At the off world transport station, New Taos...
---

The shuttle for Tersis II was waiting and the station was
crowded with Voyager crew and their families and friends,
many of them in tears. Chakotay and Tom handed off their
gear and turned to Bey and Kolopak awkwardly waiting as the
line moved forward to the transport. Tom finally hugged Bey
tight and hugged Kolopak, nodding and walking into the
shuttle to find a place to sit.

Chakotay hugged Bey tightly, holding him a long time and then
they parted, Bey silently moving away to wait for his
father. Chakotay and Kolopak stared at each other neither
speaking until Kolopak cleared his throat. "I would like to
say that I am proud of you, Chakotay. I would like to say
that you could tell the worth of a man by the company they
keep. You keep good company. You have made a life for
yourself that makes me so proud of you. Your children are
beautiful and good. Tom is a good man and he loves you. I
don't think we ever really understood each other until now,
but I don't want you to go away without hearing of my love
and pride for you."

Chakotay felt the tears in his eyes spill over. He shook his
head, staring at his feet. "I never gave you credit for the
man you are, Papa. I never understood how you couldn't know
who you are without knowing where you've been. You taught me
how to be a man and I didn't know it until you were gone.
There is no way to thank you for being such a father to me.
When I needed advice and hope I sought you out and you never
failed me. I love you too. Always."

Kolopak swallowing his tears nodded. "All you have to do is
come home safely, my son. We all will be waiting for you, my
contrary. We will be here."

Chakotay wrapped his father in his arms and held him swaying
gently. Then he let him go with a kiss on the cheek and
turned, walking to the shuttle and entering. He found a place
beside the window that Tom had saved him that gave a clear
view of the platform. Sitting and taking Tom's hand, he
watched the platform until it was no longer visible. Then he
laid his head back and closed his eyes until they reached
Tersis II and the orbital platform that was servicing
Voyager. Tom held his hand the whole way.

---
That night...
---

"We are shoving off. Better get to the Bridge."

Tom stood leaning on the doorjamb, arms crossed, waiting for
Chakotay. Chakotay stood up, shutting down the computer. He
had sent a note to Cheyenne telling her to be happy and not
be too burdened down with responsibility. People are happy
to help you, he had said. Let them, meijo.

"Let's go, Slim," he said, gathering his jaunty together.

Tom grinned. "Lead the way, pathfinder."

Chakotay smiled and they exited to the hallway and the left
that would take them to the Bridge.

---
On the way to the Bridge...
---

"What's the matter?" Tom asked puzzling at Chakotay's
listless behavior all that morning.

"Nothing," Chakotay replied shrugging.

Tom leaned against the lift wall, folding his arms and
looking at Chakotay with a piercing gaze. "You can pull that
shit on others but not me. What's bothering you?"

Chakotay thought a moment and then sighed sadly. "I had a
dream last night."

"A vision or a dream?" Tom asked, relaxing a little.

"Both maybe," Chakotay replied, rubbing the back of his neck
with his hand.

"What was it about?" Tom asked as the lift came to a halt.

"It was about... " Chakotay began haltingly.

Tom hit the seal on the door, holding it. "What, Chakotay?"

"It was about my father," Chakotay finally said. "I...  I
dreamed that he had come back to us."

Tom bit his lip and reached out squeezing Chakotay's arm.
Chakotay gave him a wan smile and together side-by-side the
two walked out onto the Bridge.

---

From faraway the child entity frowned slightly. It hadn't
worked the way that she had planned. Only some of them got
what they wanted but others in different dimensions didn't.
No matter how hard she had worked the one she wanted didn't
get what he needed and missed. The concept of it mystified
her. She turned noting the others. They were watching her
with kindly eyes. She was uncertain and stood before them,
her hands twisting the fabric of her skirt. "This isn't what
I hoped for."

One of them newly returned, smiled. "It seldom is, little
one," Rell said. "You will find that is the hardest lesson
you have to learn." 

She turned and looked back at the sad man sitting on the
Bridge of the ship she would soon be accompanying and
resolved herself. "We shall see," she whispered. "We shall
see."

---

to be continued in 'Comes A Pale Rider'

C2008-2009   helmboy