#kathryn janeway/chakotay

[jone-slugger]

Janeway in a nutshell

[elephant-in-the-pride-parade]

It's done! One chapter every week! Thank you @jellybeansarecool - It has been so fun writing this with you!

[lupines-slash-recs]

Rec: Stalemate by Oparu

Title: Stalemate Author: Oparu Canon: Star Trek VOY Pairing: Kathryn Janeway/Chakotay Rating: Mature [🍊] Word Count: 17,459 Summary: An Endgame and Full Circle fix-it. Decades after Kathryn Janeway’s

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[25daysofvoyager]

Posting this fic directly to the blog per @windwillow69-blog 's request!

Audrey's Choice - belated contribution for Day 6

December 23, 2396

Bloomington, Indiana

Something was wrong; Kathryn could sense it. Even after all these years, her Captain's instinct had not dulled much. But this time it wasn't anything to do with Voyager, or Starfleet. It was something far more personal. 

From her vantage point on the window seat, where she was bundled up in a robe and slippers with an afghan around her legs and a mug of hot coffee in her hands (she'd never been able to stick with tea) she regarded the lithe dark-haired young woman currently pacing around the tree in an emerald green robe. There was the faintest tension behind her brown eyes as she spaced out the ornaments with precision that reminded Kathryn so much of herself at that age.  

Audrey nicked her lower lip slightly, probably completely unaware she was doing it, as she moved a sparkly red and gold ball slightly to the left in a perfect position to reflect the yellow light nearby. Her dark eyes, so like her father's, reflected the colored lights of the tree as she moved around it like a cat.  To a casual observer, she looked to be simply focused on the task at hand, but to her mother she was like an open book. Audrey thought she was good at hiding her emotions, and to most people maybe she did it well. But she could almost never get past her mother. Kathryn knew it frustrated her daughter, and this is why she had waited for three days after her Audrey's return from the Academy for the holidays before deciding to finally address it.  She wanted her child to settle, relax, and enjoy being home for a bit. The Academy was enough work on its own. 

Audrey sighed faintly, and she paused. The expression on her face reminded Kathryn of Chakotay in his pensive moments; it never ceased to strike her right in the heart. This young woman was the best of both of them. Probably the best thing Kathryn had ever done with her life – which almost pained her to acknowledge, considering how she treasured her time as Captain of the Voyager, and all of the crew who were still like family to her even while scattered all over the galaxy.  But there she was, Audrey Sekaya. The pride Kathryn felt for her daughter was immense, impossible to put into words. 

"Almost done?" she said, blowing gently across the hot black liquid in her #1 Mom mug, a Christmas gift from her daughter years ago. The dark burgundy writing was so faded it was almost illegible. But it was Kathryn's favorite. "You've been at it for over an hour. I thought your dad and I did a fine job with it." 

There was slight side eye from Audrey and the faintest smirk as she curled a stray lock of dark brown hair behind her ear. But there was still something behind her expression. "Yeah, you get points for effort," she said. "A few points. When did Dad say he'd be back?" 

Kathryn noted the shift in Audrey's voice as she turned away from the tree, hands sliding into the pockets of her robe. She looked uncharacteristically vulnerable for a split second, and then straightened her back. Kathryn checked her watch. "Not too long," she said. "He's probably held up with the snow, and I imagine there are a lot of people out there doing last minute shopping." Then she moved her legs off the cushion, readjusted the afghan, and patted the seat next to her. "Come on, sit with me and watch the snow." 

"Mom, I've seen snow. It's Indiana in December." But Audrey took a few steps forward, and her eyes lifted toward the window. She relaxed a bit. She'd loved the snow as a young girl, and could often be found building snowmen and designing snow forts with her father, and sometimes with Uncle Tom and Uncle Harry when they came to visit.  The two old friends were due to have Christmas Eve dinner and exchange gifts with them tomorrow night, along with their wives and children. Kathryn was looking forward to it with great enthusiasm. 

"I know," Kathryn smiled lightly. "Just humor me. Do you want some coffee?" 

Audrey rolled her eyes. "Mom. You know I drink tea," she said. "When are you going to give up that fight? But no thanks, I'm good. I had a cup earlier, with Dad." 

"Oh yes, of course." Kathryn smiled as she swallowed her coffee. Every morning when she was home, Audrey and her father had quality time over tea and English Muffins in the kitchen in the early hours while Kathryn lounged in bed. What they talked about Kathryn never knew; it was their private time. It wasn't that she didn't want to know, but she respected their need for their own little bubble. Audrey was like most 17 year-olds in many ways; she liked boys, and music, and hanging out with her friends, but her willingness to get out of bed before 7:00 a.m. on her winter vacation to have tea with her father set her apart.  It wasn't that Audrey did it out of a sense of obligation. She genuinely enjoyed it. She and her father had a special bond, almost spiritual. 

Audrey's pockets bulged for a moment, and Kathryn knew she'd clenched and unclenched her fists. Then she exhaled deeply. "Okay," she said. Then she strode over to sit next to her mom, leaning into Kathryn's left arm. Kathryn put her lips just above her daughter's head, and lightly inhaled. Honey shampoo. God, she loved this kid. 

"So," she said, lightly kissing Audrey's head, "what's up, Bug? You've been distracted since you got back." 

Audrey shrank a bit. Kathryn sensed her annoyance.  "How do you always know?" she said, but not in a defensive way. She sounded resigned. She pulled away from Kathryn; the older woman felt the loss almost acutely. "Yeah, there's something I need to tell you, and I've been dreading it for weeks." 

"Weeks?" Kathryn set her coffee down on a side table. This revelation had genuinely surprised her, although she supposed it would be harder for her to pick up on emotional cues from her daughter when they communicated mainly via video chat. "Is something going on at the Academy? Are you having a hard time?" 

This seemed unlikely, since all Kathryn had heard from the instructors was what a delight her daughter was to have in class; she was sharp as a tack, focused, bright, and always full of questions. She was breezing through her first semester. Kathryn hadn't told Audrey that she was in communication with her instructors, because she knew her daughter wouldn't like that. It had to be hard being the offspring of two Starfleet legends. But she couldn't help herself.  Every one of them had already said Audrey would make Captain someday. She was that good. 

Audrey sighed. "No, not in that way. I mean, the classes are fine - some are very interesting, actually - and I've made a few friends. Of course Miral is there, and I really like San Francisco…." 

"But…? What is it?" 

"I'd wanted to wait until you and Dad were both here." Audrey wrapped the sash of her robe around her right hand, and released it. "And until after Christmas," she added in a slightly lower voice. 

The snow was falling steadily, as it had been for hours. Chakotay had gone out a little over an hour ago under the pretense of picking up necessities for tomorrow's dinner. It was the night before Christmas Eve; he would be gone a while. Kathryn sensed something else was afoot with her husband, as he was not that good at concealing his true motives when it came to her. But she dismissed that thought now, her concern for her daughter taking center stage. 

She touched Audrey's hair. "He probably won't be back for a while. Tell me what's wrong." 

"Okay. I may as well come out with it." Audrey turned to face her mother. The fierce determination in her expression momentarily took Kathryn's breath away. The set of her jaw was identical to her father. "Mom, I want to leave the Academy." 

The words hung in the air for a long moment. Kathryn felt rocked; glad she'd decided to set down her mug, because she probably would have dropped it.  She swallowed, and took a deep breath. Then she reached for her daughter's right hand, and held it firmly in both of hers. "Audrey. Tell me the truth. Did something happen? Did someone hurt you?" Her eyes flashed, and she felt fire burning in her chest. 

"What? No, of course not. It's nothing like that. I have met someone, but…no, that's not the reason." Her cheeks flushed, and it wasn't from the warmth of the fire crackling in the fireplace. 

"You've met someone?"  Another blow.  Kathryn knew her daughter was not obligated to share every moment of her life with her, but something like this felt too big not to…?  Kathryn's head was full of questions. Who was this boy? How did they meet? How on earth had she not picked up on this before? But she shook the questions away.  "Audrey, what's going on? Why do you want to leave?" 

"It's just not what I want to do, that's all. I'm not happy. I mean, I'm doing well; it's not that I necessarily dislike it. I just don't like it as much as I should. Of course I love having Miral there with me. And like I said, I enjoy San Francisco; it's a great city. But I don't feel fulfilled. I want something more." Audrey looked at her with eyes almost pleading for her to understand, to be empathetic, to not be angry. 

Kathryn still didn't know what she truly felt. This was not something she could have planned for. From the moment Audrey was born, she and Chakotay had assumed Starfleet was in her future. They'd promised not to push her, to let her choose her own path, but as time went on she'd seemed excited about the idea, from listening to tales from Tom and Harry, her father's "bedtime stories" about Voyager, and talking to her 'cousins'. She and Miral were particularly close, almost like sisters, and Miral was in her second year of the Academy. So when she'd been accepted, it was a joyous, exciting time. She'd seemed thrilled to go. She was a brilliant child, and Starfleet felt like the perfect choice for her. 

Could she really have been hiding this from her parents all this time? "What do you want, Bug?" Kathryn squeezed Audrey's hand, drawing her gaze from her daughter's confused face, to their intertwined fingers.  

"I don't know!" Audrey blurted, and her voice broke. Kathryn looked up, startled by the tears welling in her daughter's eyes.  It made her feel utterly at a loss, unmoored, to see her child struggling like this. Audrey had always been so self assured and confident. "I mean, I think I might want to move to San Francisco. But as for what to do there, I have no idea. All I do know, is it's not Starfleet. I'm so sorry, Mom, I know how much this means to you and Dad. I thought I wanted to follow in your footsteps, and those of Uncle Tom, Uncle Harry, Aunt B'Elanna… and I admire all of you so much, you don't even know…But being at the Academy these past few months has made me think a lot about that kind of commitment. It's for life. I'd want to be all in for something like that; Starfleet deserves that from me. But I can't promise I'd be all in. I just can't." 

"Oh Bug," Kathryn sighed. She cupped her hand against her daughter's face, following the line of her cheekbone with the tip of her thumb. Her thoughts were whirling. She couldn't remember a time since Voyager when she'd been this blindsided. And the emotional impact was so much deeper. She leaned forward and kissed Audrey's hair, holding her lips there for a few seconds, not wanting to let go. She could almost feel her dreams for her daughter evaporating, which stung, but strangely, she also felt a sense of possibility. It wasn't really about her dreams for her daughter, it was about what Audrey dreamed for herself. Audrey's body sank into hers the way she used to as a child when she needed her mama. Kathryn held her close and started to slowly rock her back and forth. 

Kathryn had never dreamed about being a mother until she fell in love with Chakotay, and even then it had seemed unlikely given their circumstances (and her age, at the time Voyager finally returned). She'd satisfied herself being Aunt Kathryn to Miral, whom she loved almost like a daughter. But then, suddenly six months later she found herself pregnant. The odds were against her, but with advanced medical technology and Chakotay's unwavering support, they'd been gifted with Audrey Sekaya, named partially for her father's sister. From the moment she first gazed upon her daughter's face, Kathryn wanted the world for her. Nothing was too great or too hard.  Audrey would have whatever she wanted. (Well, within reason, of course.) 

And it wasn't Starfleet. 

"It's going to be okay," she said. "You know that your father and I only want you to be happy, and to live your best life." 

"I wanted to like it at the Academy, I really did. I wanted to make you guys proud of me." 

"Audrey, your dad and I are already so incredibly proud of you." Kathryn's voice was starting to break, and her body seemed like it would simply melt away. She vaguely heard the pop of the fire in the fireplace, and the whistle of wind in the trees. Her wandering thoughts gradually moved back to the present, and the warm, solid feeling of her daughter in her arms. 

Audrey exhaled like she was relieving herself of a huge weight. "Thank you, Mom." Then she shifted and looked up, with the hint of worry again crossing her face. "Do you think Dad will be okay?" 

"Yes, I do." Kathryn touched her daughter's forehead, lightly moving away her hair. She kissed the tip of her nose, and Audrey smiled again. "We'll figure this out together." She paused. "Now, tell me about this special someone you met."

Audrey blushed. "Well…"  

[trekflower]

If your into Janeway/Chakotay shipping 🤣

[homewrecking-lore]

[elephant-in-the-pride-parade]

😆 It do feel like that some days.

Can somebody tell me why Janeway and Chakotay is lowkey giving me the pining angst vibes I usually get from my queer ships??? AM I BEING BAITED BY A HETERO SHIP???

Star Trek: Voyager

[bumblingbabooshka]

People honestly portray Tuvok as far too "rolling his eyes, reluctantly going along with Janeway's silly little shenanigans" - he's literally so serious about being right there with her on every decision she makes. Janeway's like "I'm going to stay behind if the ship blows up" and Tuvok's like "I'm staying with you." Janeway's like "I'm going to deliver every member of the Equinox crew into the jaws of death via an alien revenge massacre" and Tuvok protests a grand total of one time before being fully on the bridge assisting her. He was the only one with her when she made the decision to honor the caretaker's wishes and save the Ocampa, dooming them all. He was willing to get court marshalled in order to fulfill a wish she couldn't grant by her own hand: Get them home [no matter what happens to me] <- wherein 'me' is Tuvok. This was the same wish that spurred him forward when he had to leave her on that planet and everyone left thought him cold for trying to fulfill it without her when in his mind it was akin to a dying wish, the last thing she'd ever express to him: Get them home [no matter what happens to me.] <- wherein 'me' is Janeway. He told Seven that the golden rule to follow is that the captain is "ALWAYS RIGHT" <- (His ACTUAL words) and when Seven asks if the captain should be followed even if someone KNOWS she's wrong he says "Perhaps." This man is perhaps the most ride or die dude in the universe about Janeway. Despite her labeling him her 'moral compass' he is by NO means impartial or unbiased. He'd defend her to his last breath. He canonically makes detailed psychological observations about her and has for years. He accounts for her luck when calculating the success of certain plans. It's implied in 'Twisted' that Janeway typically listens to Tuvok's suggestions and follows them nearly without fail - to the point that he's surprised and obviously irritated when Chakotay doesn't. Despite this they've been inside one another's quarters so infrequently that Tuvok can remember each instance. They call each other "Captain" and "Mr. Tuvok" even though they've known each other for twenty years. There's something wrong with them.

[theladyeowyn]

- I remember my last visit there. I was given my general orders for Voyager's first mission: Proceed to the Badlands, and find the Maquis. - The orders that brought us together.

[aenslem]

STAR TREK: VOYAGER (1995–2001) ⤷ Scorpion; part I

[hero-in-high-tops]

star trek no context

[jone-slugger]

The thing about Janeway and Chakotay is that the sexual tension is there from the very beginning. Like, he just got transported to her ship and they are already taking a good look at one another (probably thinking they wouldn't mind having sex with each other).

And then, the only thing left is for that sexual tension to build and build over the years, finding more nuance to the attraction in romantic gestures and shared experiences.

But those two wanted to be together from day one.

[elephant-in-the-pride-parade]

⭐️Star ⭐️

I think I'll dust off Eden's Deception for this one.

So what you'd never know about Eden's Deception is this story actually went through three drafts.

2018 - The romantic fluff fest hyperfocused on a J/C romance in their scifi "Garden of Eden" on my first rewatch of the series as a 25 y.o. i felt absolutely cheated and teased by the romantic undertones that this episode failed to fulfill. the first draft was wish fulfillment where they frollicked around new earth falling in love, but it kept getting disrupted by my impulse to write scenes with some very intense melancholy about being stranded. Think one second theyre cuddling on a home made couch making out and the next Kathryn is somberly assessing what would happen when one of the died and how she would bury his body all alone by herself. really sad shit. kept breaking the romantic story i had envisioned.

That first draft stalled completely when the romantic fantasy plot peaked at an accidental pregnancy. I was watching Call the Midwife at the same time (hollar at all the ways pregnancy can go wrong for older women with limited resources and no medical care) and I just could not figure out how to move forward with the romantic fluff tone when i had just put my character in this situation of functionally mortal peril. I put the draft down and had a long re-think.

2020: The second draft was a Viidian organ farm horror fic. Mid pandemic. I was very isolated. dark thoughts abounded. and I like everyone else got a crash course in virus behavior from the wall to wall news coverage. So I rewatched resolutions again and this time rather than the lack of romance it was the bullshit virus that needled me. Why had a virus that affected spacefarers evolved on a planet with no space faring civilization? Why was it's only symptom triggered outside the atmosphere? Why did the Viidiians have the cure. I tried to anwer that in the second draft, while still satisfying my wishfullfillment need to get Kathryn a baby. In that second Draft the vidiians had engineered the planet to be a tempting venus fly trap and the virus to first trap victims on the planet and then entice them to have a lot of sex and babies that the vidiians could swoop in and kidnap later. I'd intended pregnant Kathryn to go full rambo on their facility and somehow bs she and chakotay a way off the planet and back to the ship. but i never got that far. that draft was just a little too dark for what I wanted and also the idea of the show's modern vidiians forcing their prisoners to breed new organ donors the natural way seemed dreadfully inefficient for a species that had figured out how to create a whole ass klingon adult in a lab in a day from just half a dna strand. but I did like the idea that the virus was somehow their fault. and I was intrigued by the speculation that their organ harvesting plans might have started out on a much more accessible population than kidnapped passing spacefarers. so i hung onto those tidbits and some of the smut scenes too (one of the smut scenes from this draft became Fever actually).

The final draft was written in 2021. In the US we had the looming threat of losing protections from Roe by then and that really put a damper on my own baby fever. That and I had by then watched like 7 seasons of call the midwife. So suffice to say I had come to see new earth baby was just a horror fic waiting to happen, and felt like Kathryn would just never go through with that while stranded or in the captain's chair. So I had Kathryn put a new earth baby in long term stasis for Parent Trap and I did away with the concept in Eden entirely.

Having also experienced two years of people trying to control a real pandemic by then the vidiians approach to the phage continued to facinate me. I don't think I would have come up with the idea of the New Earth virus as a quarentine measure otherwise. Creating a plot for Chakotay and his own skill set also helped bring the whole thing together. I let the potential of a maquis freedom fighter out to play to create a solution that was definitely the best option and definitely not starfleet sanctioned. He flies under the radar as a self-sacrificing maverick given how often it's Janeway pulling out the big guns. But he absolutely also is one. And that was really fun to explore.

Ultimately I think you see undercurrents of the first 2 drafts in the final story. The romantic yacht that they sail back to Voyager in certainly harkened back to the fluffier iteration. I really was very pleased with how it turned out. Rereading it two years later there isnt much that i would change. And that makes me really proud of it. I loved writing a mystery. I loved exploring a more mature and measured version of a romance. I loved bringing the science into it! (and I lucked out having someone with an anthropology/archeology background betaing it)

One thing I would change is the inclusion of some of Chakotays spiritual elements. It was kinda a trend at the time to have him say "Spirits" in lieu of saying "Oh, God" as a way to honor whatever indigenous beliefs he is supposed to have (as we all know theyre very mismashed/made up/etc.) and to show he wasnt from a judeo-christian background. I've realized that was quite foolish now. Saying "Spirits" doesn't come from the show or from any actual native american tradition that I can find. I'd just have him say "God" or swear or something completely different now. In the same vein I want to eventually go back and edit the vision quest scene. I've grappled for years with how much of his canon beliefs to include since theyre all appropriated from different nations or just made up whole cloth. Vision quests aren't something I have personal knowledge of and not something I can research or give the appropriate respect to. So I think that while I might still have him leave their campsite to do one, I'd change the vision/memory itself into a dream, similar to the way his flashbacks to the war worked in a later chapter.

[sweetsouldhavernas]

some janeway and chakotay moments that make me believe they're a canonical couple

[annikasevenshots]

security they're being lovey dovey again

Janeway and Chakotay's reunion + hand detail (Star Trek Prodigy S2E14)

[peachviz]

sometimes Star Trek mental health awareness episodes really hurt