Star Trek Voyager: Bonds of Love, Ties of Family

Star Trek Voyager: Bonds of Love, Ties of Family (Chapter 4)

“I can see that you approve of my new found cookery skills Chakotay!” Sekaya laughed with a pleased smile as she saw her brother reach across the table and help himself to a second helping of her homemade vegetarian lasagne.

“Very much so, especially when I remember all the catastrophes of years gone by!” Chakotay teased back as she handed him the pepper shaker.

Adam’s ears immediately pricked up, “What kind of catastrophes Mom?” he asked eagerly.

Sekaya took a quick swig of red wine before answering. “Oh I wouldn’t call them catastrophes baby, your uncle is exaggerating…”

“Really? What about the time you stuffed Mother’s brand new bread oven so full it exploded?” Chakotay reminded her.

Sekaya flushed slightly as Adam guffawed and even Hector gave her a sidelong look of incredulous amusement, but then rose fully to the challenge her brother had set. “What about the time you decided, being the sweet tooth that you are, to increase the ratio of sugar to flour in your birthday cake and ended up with a cake tin full of boiled sugar?”

Chakotay chuckled at the memory, “That turned out great in my opinion, I still ate it remember?”

Sekaya jumped in surprise when a new laugh joined in, glancing suspiciously over at Seven, rather shocked to hear her laughing freely at Chakotay’s comment, who was beaming at her as she said wryly, “I highly doubt your mother would have agreed with you, having witnessed and dealt with children on a “sugar rush” myself.”

Chakotay grinned at the memory of Seven trying to corral Azan and Rebi into their regeneration units after Tom had introduced the curious pair to human confectionary. “Oh yeah, what was the culprit that night again, doughnuts?”

“Doughnuts and candy floss.” Seven answered, smiling at the memory of her own exasperation. “I think I withheld replicator rations for a week after that.”

“From Azan and Rebi? That was a little harsh wasn’t it? They were only eight after all.” Chakotay replied, his eyebrows rising questioningly.

Seven’s eyes glinted mischievously, her lips twisting upward. “No, not theirs, Tom Paris’.”

Chakotay was overcome with a convulsive laughter which startled Sekaya, she’d rarely seen her brother let go of his reserve to such an extent. “I…I always wondered…what caused the fault with his particular replicator access codes!” he choked out to Seven through his continuing laughter, his arm again tight around her waist.

“It was I who was to blame.” Seven admitted, her tone deceptively serious but her eyes laughing with him.

Sekaya, feeling that they had revelled in their own little private world long enough, and also feeling curious, broke through the hilarity to ask Seven pointedly, “What children are you talking about?”

Seven stiffened, shifting in her chair to face Sekaya directly and distant herself slightly from Chakotay. “That story referred to Azan and Rebi, brothers I had under my guardianship for a time.”

“How did you end up having such a responsibility over such young children?” Sekaya asked, aghast. Guilt prickled at her when she saw Seven flinch momentarily at her tone. “I’m sorry, that didn’t come out right…” She began apologetically but Seven shook her head to stop her.

“On the contrary, you are quite correct. I am the last person that would be chosen to care for children, at that time at least.” Seven remarked calmly, her lips pursed.

“Seven, that’s not…” Chakotay began to argue gently.

“I know my love, but you must admit that at the time I was unprepared.” She replied to him softly with a grateful smile, keeping one eye on his face even as she began to explain to the others. “They were four children the crew freed from the Borg.” She murmured painfully, “I was…apprehensive about taking responsibility for them, but with Chakotay and Captain Janeway’s support and encouragement, I adapted. Only Icheb returned with us, Azan and Rebi were returned to their mother and Mezotti went with them.”