Warning: This chapter contains scenes of a sexually explicit nature. Readers are advised to be eighteen years and over to continue...

Chakotay was a man with a mission.

After his last, failed attempt to get through to Kathryn, he had felt like dying. She had been upset, bitter and angry. It was as if those emotions bounced off the screen as he tried to explain, to tell her the truth about what had happened to him. He had bumbled through his attempt to explain, realised after she cut him off so abruptly, that he never did manage to explain anything to her, and worse, she might have construed his words differently, which added to her shock, the way she cut him off.

Not that he thought she would believe him. The expression on her face was enough to convince him that Kathryn had made up her mind about him. She was overwrought at his infidelity, and he had known then that she never wanted to see him again. He had been dead for a few days after that. The realisation that Kathryn was finished with him had been delayed by his persistent denial that it couldn't happen to him, that it couldn't happen to them, that she had stopped loving him. It was possible that the shock of what she had seen could produce such a result, but since he first laid eyes on Kathryn Janeway he had been convinced in his heart that there would never be another woman for him, and she had reciprocated those feelings with so much of wonderment that a woman like her, so refined, so full of class, so…aristocratic could feel that way towards him too.

He had walked around with an air if disbelief, after the first few hours when he had repeated how undeserving he had been anyway of Kathryn's good faith, her trust, her loyalty and her love. Like a wounded animal he had stalked around in his temporary abode, trashed everything that could move and kept screaming his pain as the reality slowly sank in.

He had made two attempts to appeal to her and beg her forgiveness; that she be merciful to him. The last communication rubbed salt in his already open wounds that kept bleeding until he cried out in helpless rage against Sedeka who had trapped him, against his own folly to have been lured by her in the first place.

In one single afternoon, one single act of indiscretion, Sedeka had ruined his life. If she had meant to destroy him and Kathryn, she had succeeded. He couldn't get out of his mind Sedeka's vindictiveness, her calculated methods she employed to bring him to ruination, and her subsequent, evil attack on Kathryn, who deserved none of the pain and heartache she now suffered. Kathryn suffered. There was no doubt in his mind about that. She suffered, she was hurt beyond her strength, and if she thought to punish him for his transgression, he would accept it, because he had done her incalculable harm. He had known, since Sergei had run the tests on the wine and food, that Sedeka's seduction of him had been more than just a woman who wanted to have an illicit fling. Sedeka had no scruples, no sense of decency, and her seduction had been part of a plot against him, against ultimately, the Federation. That Kathryn had been drawn into it was for him a disaster, for Sedeka and Gul Evek a victory, an added bonus to their devious dealings with him.

It was humiliating to admit that Sedeka had studied not only him in the Federation database - which she no doubt poached from somewhere - but also Kathryn and any other person connected to them in some way. It was a method he would have used, were he that malicious and calculating. To an individual like Sedeka who would systematically search for anything to bring down a person, he and Kathryn had been as transparent as the moon on a clear morning.

He was beginning to see things in perspective, put together pieces of the puzzle of the machinations of Sedeka and Gul Evek. He studied, looked over the first dealings with Sedeka, the subsequent subspace communications with her, began a complicated ritual of dance with her in order to set his own plan into motion. Now, sober and rational, he could think clearly, chart his actions and those of Sedeka frame by agonising frame and come to several conclusions. There was method to Sedeka's madness, and he, Chakotay, now lately immersed with clear thoughts into how he had been sucked in by a clever woman, knew exactly what to do.

Always, in all of history, through the great literature of the ages, the motivations of devious men and women were fired by one thing: the desire to control and manipulate. Their agendas - whether political, socio-cultural, economical - were almost always betrayed by their personal or emotional involvement. When things became personal, there entered all manners of possibilities for failure, of the revelation of a weakness they had not foreseen.

The Cardassians Sedeka and Gul Evek were no different. While they could cry victory on an assignment successfully executed, somewhere in their agenda lay something that could become their Achilles heel. The last month had been a journey through hell for him, one in which he cried out Kathryn's name in the dead of night, and in the bright light of day, he could think, think, think of their motives, go calmly, though it shamed him, over every act he could remember with Sedeka, every crazy conversation, what she said, what she didn't say, her eye contact, her movements, the way she ate, anything that could reveal to him a weakness. So, he went back to his first subspace communication with Sedeka, when he told her that Kathryn left him, and the other conversations that followed where he had to - he threw up literally - do things with Sedeka just to soften her up and make her vulnerable.

A month ago he could think, plan, discover. He had reached a point where he could summon the courage to speak with Kathryn again, knowing that soon, Sedeka would be out of their lives. When he finally made up his mind to make one last attempt to get through to his wife and convince her of his innocence, her reaction all but told him that Sedeka had been at her again, and with something that had to be devastating to Kathryn, something personal, something that involved him.

He had known he would eventually find something, however small, that would become a chink in their armour, particularly Sedeka's armour. Sedeka had sent Kathryn a holo-vid of their crazed sex romps, had turned his wife into a quiet stranger who simply showed it to him, then left his house. Kathryn quiet was Kathryn deeply hurt. The quieter she became, the more intense the hurt. That day he had known in his own troubled mind, that Sedeka couldn't have hurt his wife more than the way she had done it by sending her the vile holo-vid of her activities with him. If what Kathryn had seen in their house on Dorvan V was enough to make her bitter and unhappy, then the holo-vid was sent to injure the injured more, a "just so you don't forget" message. But more than that, it was revealing. It was why, when he could think again after Kathryn left him, that he began to lure Sedeka.

Sub-commander Sedeka had made one mistake during and after their hours of lust.

One mistake.

**

"Two weeks, Commander, is the best I can offer you," Roger Petranoff said to Chakotay in the ready room of the USS Ormskirk. "You've had a full month's leave already, granted by Starfleet, but hell, I can't go forever without the best First Officer I ever had." Roger smiled as he spoke.

"I'll be back, Roger, hopefully before two weeks. Don't worry. It's something that I must do."

Roger sighed.

"Sure, Chakotay. It's been almost three months…You know that - "

"It's over between me and Kathryn, Roger. That's what you wanted to say?"

Roger Petranoff gave Chakotay a penetrating look. Chakotay refused to budge under such piercing scrutiny. Petranoff had not been too happy when he didn't attend Dalene's wedding and despite Sergei's explanations, still viewed the matter with mistrust. After a while Chakotay didn't care. Kathryn left him, and Starfleet knew that. They just didn't know the reason for the separation. An amicable separation was the official explanation given later by Sergei Karkoff and Kathryn Janeway. Petranoff's expression changed. What was he going to say? Chakotay wondered. Nothing that he didn't know, surely.

"You're going to rendezvous with the Vetar, a Cardassian vessel," Petranoff said.

"Then I don't think you should worry, Captain. We're protected by the Treaty."

"And I'm not supposed to know the nature of your visit?"

"It's official. That's all I can say, Captain."

"Well, Chakotay, I hope you know what you're doing. I expect my First Officer back on duty in two weeks' time. You're taking the Orinoco?"

"Yes. It's fast. Thank you, Roger, that you've allowed me this time off. I owe you."

"I'll remember that, Chakotay. You'd better be present at the baby's christening next year."

"The baby? What baby?"

There was only a slight pause before Roger Petranoff replied quickly.

"Dalene's infant. The one she's going to give birth to next year."

Chakotay smiled, then seconds later his face became stern again, a frown lingering as he requested to be dismissed. When Roger nodded, he left the ready room with a sense of disquiet about him.

He had wondered why Kathryn had come to Dorvan V that fateful day. When he had become rational, he remembered the words of Sergei, who asked him if he knew why Kathryn would come personally to Dorvan V when all she could have done was relay him a subspace message.

He had thought many times - too many - of a baby, of Hannah. Could Kathryn be pregnant? If she were, then surely it was something that Sergei and Roger Petranoff would know. Dalene, Roger's sister, and Svetlana were Kathryn's friends. They would have known something, surely.

His heart gave a sudden lurch as he entered his quarters. They wanted a baby so badly, had longed for a baby girl that would fill their lives and complete their little circle.

Kathryn pregnant.

The thought created a wildfire inside him. He pictured her at six months pregnant, or just before giving birth when she would be heavy with child. His child. If she had come to Dorvan V to tell him she was pregnant…

Oh, spirits! Then how much deeper didn't the lances cut into her heart when she found him with another woman?

Another woman. The thought of Sedeka rocked him up sharply to the present.

Forget Kathryn.

He was going to visit Sedeka on the Vetar. He was dead certain that Sedeka would never reject his advances. He had seen her draw closer to him during the subspace communications. She had been animal-like in her lust when they fucked that first time. He could go and join his body to hers in as shocking a way as on Dorvan V. That way Kathryn would recede in his memory, and he could get on with his life, such as it was.

He switched on his vid-com and prepared a subspace message for Sub-commander Sedeka. He waited only two minutes before he saw her face on his screen. She smiled and like a cat she stretched languorously.

"I knew you'd call, Chakotay. I've been hoping you'd make good on your promise…" she purred. Her eyes gleamed and Chakotay noticed how she looked like she wanted to kiss him, her mouth curving seductively. He touched the screen with his fingers and smiled when Sedeka pressed her mouth against her screen so that it appeared as if she kissed his fingers.

"I've been wanting to see you," he said, his voice low. "I'm hungry to feast on you…"

"Two more days, and you'll be here. I have something to tell you, Chakotay. Something important, something I think you'll like…"

"I know what I like, my evil little tigress. I like my mouth all over you, searching for little spots I missed the last time, finding your very core and holding my tongue deep in you as you spill and quiver, lubricating my tongue with your juices." Sedeka groaned and started writhing as his suggestions became more arousing. She pulled at the collar of her armour, her eyes hot with passion. "I'll be there," he promised.

"We'll be good together, you'll see. I promise…" she purred again.

Chakotay saw how Sedeka's eyes rested eagerly on him, her unbridled passion she didn't bother to hide. He could do anything to her when she was like that. Anything. Right now she was already starting to pull her armour off. The previous occasions when she called him "just to talk" as she put it, he had held back, frustrating her that he didn't make any overtures, or even referred to their time on Dorvan V. He could see the restlessness in her, see how impatient she was to resume their sexual escapades. There on Dorvan V, what had stopped for him, evidently didn't for her. She wanted him, and wanted him very badly. He was a man, and without any sense of false modesty, he could see what was happening with Sedeka. Most times, she was the scientist, brilliant, brash, intuitive and calculating. Then at times, she dropped her guard; for a fleeting moment, he could see Sedeka wanted more of him. After their first communications, he had started to fuck her through subspace, making her pliant and desperately screaming for more. He was succeeding in breaking her down. So he asked:

"What would you like before I close communication, Sedeka? Another foretaste? Something for you to dream about while waiting for me to come to you? It will be our first time together again after Dorvan…"

He watched how she stretched again, her hands cupping her breasts. Even with her armour, the woman's shape enhanced a hundredfold the severity of her clothing. She made it look good on her. Sedeka slowly removed the armour, dropped the pieces on the floor. Then she pulled down the top of the body suit. He sucked in his breath. Her skin, a much lighter blue-purplish tinge than her male counterparts, already looked like it primed itself for something. It glistened. She rose from her chair so that he could see her whole body, her hands stroking her swaying hips, caressing the tuft of hair at her centre. Even from a sector away, looking at the monitor of his vid-com, Chakotay could see how her vaginal folds quivered.

"Give it to me, Chakotay," Sedeka whispered. "I want you…"

Chakotay closed his eyes.

Oh, Kathryn, you have no idea what I'm about to do… came his silent plea. Forgive me…

***

In the docking bay of the Vetar, Chakotay alighted from the Orinoco. The Cardassians who were on duty in the shuttle bay glared at him, but he ignored their looks of displeasure as they went about securing the Orinoco. He was in uniform, on official business, to see Sub-commander Sedeka, who had also very important news to share with him. All business had been cleared with Gul Evek, who was the highest authority on the vessel. Therefore, Chakotay knew, they would leave him alone. His business with Sub-commander Sedeka did not concern them. What she did on this vessel, she did for the Cardassian Union. They knew that Sedeka and Gul Evek were explosive when they were seen together, but Gul Evek knew when to share. If it were in the interest of the Union, Sedeka could do anything.

That woman met him as he strode towards the entrance of the shuttle bay.

"I thought I'd meet you here, Commander," she said formally. "You might wander down the wrong corridors." Her voice was raised so that the crew could hear her. Chakotay smiled grimly. They greeted Sedeka, nodding severely when she had entered the shuttle bay. It was their sign of respect. Still, he thought, one could respect out of fear, and one could respect out of admiration and courtesy and love. He thought they feared Sedeka. He had his doubts about the respect.

"Then the right person is here to meet me, I'm sure," he told her. She was a tall woman and he didn't have to bend far down to address her.

"Gul Evek sends his greetings, Commander, but pleads an extensive work programme. He would have met you himself." It was naturally, a bald-faced lie. Gul Evek wanted Sedeka to have her pleasures. He had no problems with handling Sedeka afterwards. Chakotay shook his head. Sedeka had apprised him of the Gul's insatiable appetite when it came to her. It was fucking without the botheration of feeling. Conscience, naturally, stayed as far away from the likes of Evek and Sedeka.

"Then I am gratified that his second-in-command has come to do the honours. You may inform the Gul that I accept his apology."

"Good, Commander Chakotay. This way," she said as she waved her hand that he follow her out of the shuttle bay. He carried a light duffel bag and Sedeka, the moment they were away from prying eyes, looked askance at it.

"Well, you did agree to two days," he whispered close to her ear. "I've brought along some things we could use when we get...together... You get to clamp my nipples and hang me up...There's a little gold ring on my foreskin. It's got your name engraved on it... You're in my blood..." He grinned as she averted her gaze. He didn't miss the flash of desire in her eyes. He could smell her pheromones, and knew that she was already wet. But Sedeka had to be on her guard, he knew. It was not exactly a secret meeting, but he knew she wanted to be careful.

"I shall enjoy it, Chakotay," she replied, her voice purring again like it did two days ago when he fucked her, her body writhing on the screen of his vid-com as she dug her fingers into her cunt. He hadn't wanted to do it. Kathryn's face had kept flashing in his head, tearing away at his conscience. He tried to force out Kathryn's face, remembered that he needed to do it, needed to do it in that way. Sedeka had been primal again, careening wildly while he coaxed her with his voice and lurid suggestions. She had screamed as she climaxed; he switched off his console while hearing Sedeka's screams.

He had sagged back against his chair and the revulsion had built up in him till he couldn't stand it.

Clutching his stomach he ran to his bathroom and threw up.

Now… He sighed.

Keep your head… You can do it, Chakotay. You can do it… he told himself as they stood outside Sedeka's cabin.

"We'll be undisturbed for two days, Chakotay. It's the least Gul Evek could do for me. He owes me…"

Chakotay had no doubt what Sedeka meant by those words. Gul Evek was willing to share her. He didn't mind. Sedeka, he had already ascertained, was in Evek's blood and most likely, she had just come from his bed.

Chakotay followed her inside, the doors closing with a finality behind him. He expelled his breath slowly, and prepared himself for the next few hours. Sedeka turned round to face him, a triumphant and happy gleam in her eyes. He threw down his duffel. She sidled up to him. He could smell her, smell the familiar pheromones that had pervaded in his house all of the afternoon when they copulated like animals. Now, it was as strong as it had been that day. His nostrils twitched, then flared. Her lips were parted, her eyelids heavy with desire. He wondered that she had been able to contain herself while waiting for him down in the shuttle bay. She had been formal, even courteous to a fault in the presence of the crew. Now, the mask was pulled away ruthlessly as Sedeka didn't bother to hide her emotion or bank down her passion. In the privacy of her quarters she was rampant with lust.

"Chakotay…"

"Sedeka…"

He hauled her into his arms and kissed her roughly on the mouth. He knew that was how she liked him. He could bite into her and it would fan her lust. He found the soft flesh and bit into her. She gave a cry, then pushed harder against his mouth as he caught her upper lip and dug his teeth in, pulling, then suddenly releasing as his tongue thrust deep into her mouth. In seconds he tasted blood and she growled her pleasure when he licked her mouth.

"Fuck me, Chakotay. Fuck me like you did on Dorvan V. I've been waiting for this for months," she breathed when he broke off the kiss. Her eyes burned into him. He wanted to believe in those moments that Sedeka was drunk with passion. If he refused now, she'd throw herself at his feet… She was ready to do so. How had the malicious, calculating brilliant scientist come to this? She was just a woman…A woman who needed a man…

"Take me to your bed," he demanded huskily.

"Anywhere will do. You've not had that problem before," she purred as she stripped her armour from her body.

Chakotay gripped her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. His eyes burned into hers.

"We fucked, then, Sedeka, like animals. Now, I want to make love to you…" His voice became softer, urgent. He kissed her again, this time just brushing her lips tenderly. Sedeka was surprised by his sudden change from his aggressive biting. She had expected coarse and wild, and unable to bear the transformation, she moaned softly into him. Still, he held her a little away from him, but maintaining the searing contact with her lips. Sedeka became impatient as she brought her arms round his neck. He held her hands, then firmly pressed her away from him. His mouth curved into a smile when he saw a tear escape from her eye. "I know you're in a hurry, but I've waited too, and I want to enjoy it this time even more, taking you slowly, making love...loving you... Besides," he whispered huskily, "you're carrying my baby…"

He had anticipated her revelation, and it gratified him to see her reaction. He had been right. A smile spread across her features; her eyes widened, then became smoky as she slowly moved backwards, step by step, until she was in the area where her bed stood. He grinned as he picked up his duffel again and followed her to her bed.

She had taken off her bodysuit and lay on the bed naked, her skin glowing deeply in the orange light of the cabin. Her hand quivered above her pubis and he knew if he didn't soon… Sedeka would stick her fingers right in and help herself to an orgasm.

"Don't, Sedeka," he whispered hoarsely. "Wait for me…" Her face was turned to him. Gone was the extreme aggression, gone was the cruelty; in its place was a waiting, an impatient heaving of her bosom as she breathed in anticipation. He was going to teach her that making love could be beautiful, an all-sharing experience that could transport her soul to another plane. Slowly, Chakotay undressed, removing first his jacket, then the teal undershirt. He pressed the first boot off his feet, scuffling one foot against the other.

"I can't wait…" Her eyes were dark pools of desire, hazy with need.

"Close your eyes," he ordered urgently as he started to pull down his trousers. When she complied, he smiled. "I want you, Sedeka, but I plan on making this memorable for us. Very, very memorable." His voice was hoarse, seductive, inviting. He bent down and opened his duffel.

"What are you doing…"

"Removing my boot. I'm going to give you something you'll never forget, Sedeka…"

"What…"

"Myself, as your gift… I want to bury myself deeply into you and feel how your softness envelops me, lubricate me. I want to feel how your depths will receive me. I want to stay inside you and feel you climax over and over, spilling your juices around me. I want this baby…"

Sedeka murmured inaudibly, swirling in the vortex of desire that Chakotay drew her into. Her body writhed. One finger slipped into her centre. When he demurred - a soft clicking sound he made - she pulled her finger out reluctantly.

"Yes, our baby… I want it too…"

The bed creaked slightly as his weight bore down on it. Sedeka gave a little moan as he touched her breast and she wriggled with pleasure when his hand traveled over her body, brushing lightly here and there. He captured the hand that had fondled her centre, stilled it for an agonising moment as Sedeka arched to feel his fingers in her.

"That's right, Sedeka, patient…patient…let's take this slowly, okay…Tomorrow, you can be as wild as a tiger.... Now, I want slow and delicious. You want it too, Sedeka..."

Sedeka, her eyes still closed as she welcomed Chakotay's soft words, his coaxing, moaned again. This, Chakotay thought, was how Sedeka needed to be treated by a man… When he shifted to lie over her, her legs spread so that he could fit snugly against her. His hair brushed against her centre as he settled himself between her legs. He knew that she knew the familiar feel of him against her. His flesh was still soft, so he thrust his hand between them and slipped two fingers into her, slowly. She was ragingly hot and moist. She gave a little cry when he removed his fingers again. Then he rubbed himself gently against her, causing her to whimper again. Her head tossed from side to side, her hands caressing his chest, finding his nipples. As her fingers traced little circles, her mouth opened in breathless gasping pleasure. Chakotay knew that somewhere in Sedeka's sex-crazed mind, she wanted soft touches too, the ability to feel and be cherished. He knew that she wanted him as he was lying over her in these moments, feeling her centre hot and wet and throbbing against him. He looked at her face, the closed eyes, listened to her ragged breathing as she gasped in ecstasy. One hand brushed lightly over her lips, her closed eyelids, her hair, cupped one breast and squeezed it lightly. She arched against him.

"Shhh…" he pressed his fingers against her lips.

"Please…" she begged.

"Patience," he breathed

"Love me, Chakotay…"

She felt soft against him, pliant, vulnerable. His hand moved to her mane of hair where his fingers clutched at a clump of it. Holding her head in position, he breathed against her ear, all the time moving against her vulva.

"Open your eyes, my lovely Sedeka."

She groaned at the delay, her hips moving impatiently against him. Her eyes opened slowly, burning with desire as they fixed trustingly on him. He kissed her mouth, tearing into her lower lip. She growled with pleasure and sighed with the disappointment when he broke off the kiss momentarily. His mouth hovered only a centimetre away from her. He breathed into her, felt her own breath mingling with his. He kept his gaze locked with hers.

"That's good. Look at me, Sedeka... I want to see your eyes open, so you know when I do this…"

With a sudden movement, too sudden for her to react, Chakotay jerked her head to the side, and just as suddenly pressed the hypospray into her neck. Sedeka's eyes widened, and Chakotay almost laughed at the stupefied expression on her face as the drug of the hypospray hit her. In an instant, her body relaxed into an unconscious state; her legs that clamped around his waist fell apart. She lay spread before him. Her mouth was still half open as she tried to speak just as the drug took effect. Then her eyes closed slowly. Chakotay climbed off the bed and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

He looked at the unconscious woman for long, long moments before he calmly dressed himself again. He was sweating from the exertion of concentrating, of holding himself back with vicious force. He looked down at his flesh, flaccid from the moment he entered her quarters and congratulated himself silently.

You were right, Chakotay. Chakotay awake and in full control of his senses could lose control with only one woman, and that was Kathryn Janeway.

He had succeeded, proved to himself that what happened on Dorvan V was beyond his control, that his behaviour with Sedeka that day could only come about if he had been drugged with the kind of hallucinogen Sedeka pumped into him. It was an elaborate way in which to get him, and eventually, Kathryn. He had nothing to give Sedeka; he felt only the most intense revulsion. His seduction had been bloodless and he didn't feel any guilt. Sedeka deserved nothing better. It had taken extraordinary control not to get aroused as he lay over her, smiling at the fact that Sedeka had not even noticed, so out of it she was with lust. He felt the nausea again and banked it down. He had work to do.

Chakotay rifled through his bag and found the tricorder. He opened it and removed the scanner. Very deliberately he ran the scanner over her, made certain that she'd be unconscious for a few hours. Before he left the Vetar, he would administer another double dose.

His hand hovered over her belly where ironically, Sedeka's hand rested in much the same way as Kathryn held her stomach when she was pregnant. It was strange to see Sedeka like that, so…vulnerable. He shrugged, took the reading.

"I guessed as much, my evil little Sedeka. You're not pregnant. You were never pregnant, though knowing you, you probably informed my distraught and unhappy wife that you were, just to drive home your hold over us…"

He snapped the scanner back, closed the tricorder and put it back in his duffel.

"Oh, Kathryn, I just know she must have told you. Sedeka is a scheming witch. If she could send you holo-vids of the sex she and I had, she would do anything to drive a wedge between us…even fool you with a bogus pregnancy…" Chakotay whispered these words to himself. There was a fierce burn behind his eyelids as he thought of his wife. "You'll understand one day, my love. Maybe one day you'll understand…"

He took one last glance at Sedeka before he started looking around him. Sedeka had been foolish enough to tell him her cabin doubled up as her office as Sub-commander of the Vetar. Now, he knew more or less where to look. He rifled carefully through drawers, the spartan appearance making his search easier.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he found it behind a wall sculpture.

"You're predictable after all, Sedeka…"

He held the little instrument in his hand, balanced it as if he weighed it. Then he walked to her array of computers and only momentarily paused as he considered Sedeka's codes. Inserting the tiny array in its homing slot on the console, he watched with pleasure as the information flashed before him on the screen. A series of codes for the various programmes she had encrypted on her computer, appeared. He tested them one by one, feeling like gagging again when he saw the incriminating scenes with other men, most of them probably high dignitaries. Nothing so far of him with Sedeka on Dorvan V. He did find the texts and research on the plants that Sergei had also researched and tested. Finally, he hit on what he had been looking for.

"Good. Subdirectory Codeword 'Chakotay'? How droll," he whispered as he entered the code 'Chakotay' and the files appeared on the screen.

"Computer, run the database version of ChakotayDorvan."

Immediately, the images that he had seen on Kathryn's PADD played before him on the screen. Because the screen was bigger than that of the PADD, the images were even more damaging, more depraved. He wanted to choke on his nausea. He switched the images off again. He knew that this was Sedeka's private depraved sex hold. Other crew on this vessel would have to hack in to her system to get at these holo-vids. He had no interest in any of the other videos Sedeka had, but he knew it was always to gain a hold over the victim.

"Computer, delete programme ChakotayDorvan from these records."

A second later, Chakotay tested his finding. He called up the file for 'ChakotayDorvan'.

"There is no record on this vessel of any programme by that name."

"Computer, run all communications files to Commander Chakotay, and those from the Ormskirk to the Vetar."

Chakotay smiled grimly as all his communications with Sedeka scrolled on the screen. He selected one file at random and opened it. He sighed.

"Very clever, Sedeka. Very clever."

Again, holo-vids compiled of his subspace sex with her, in glaring detail the pictures just moved in sickening reality. He closed the file suddenly. Sedeka would have used this against him, eventually. Clever, stupid woman... He knew that since this was encrypted information, no one on board the Vetar would know that he deleted them.

"Computer, delete all files."

"Deletion complete," it came a second later.

Chakotay smiled. The Cardassians' computer voice was male. In a drawer of the desk he found the imager. The Vetar's computers were the only consoles where Sedeka could have made copies. As it were, nowhere on the vessel there was a programme - or any of the others Chakotay found - that showed the pictures. He was satisfied. He deleted it and all their communications from her database. The PADD he had also destroyed soon after Kathryn had given it to him. He was satisfied that there were no records of his association on Dorvan V with Sedeka, or on this vessel. He was satisfied that no matter how hard Sedeka was going to try, he disabled her, in a manner of speaking. All evidence she could use to unsettle Kathryn or engineer a strategy against them had now been erased.

Chakotay returned to where Sedeka was still lying unconscious. He shrugged. The drug he administered was potent enough, but not lethal. When Sedeka woke up, he would be gone with a two day advantage over the Vetar. He doubted the Vetar would follow his shuttle, even though he was aware that Evek knew he was the one who had been responsible for the explosion on the vessel on which Evek's son, Soren, served. Yes, Chakotay thought. Evek remained in the background for now. Chakotay played Sedeka at her own game. It had taken him weeks after he had first attempted to speak with Kathryn, to get information on Evek and Sedeka. He knew most everything about Evek, and what he didn't know, he just learned scanning through Sedeka's private files.

A thrill went through him. It was wicked, he knew, to feel he had gained a victory over Sedeka. He didn't feel guilty. Sedeka had no compunction when she seduced him cold-bloodedly, none when she made Kathryn her target. Chakotay watched the Cardassian woman with an impassive air. She lay with her knees spread, her feet only touching at the heels. Sedeka's hand still rested on her belly as if she cradled her bogus baby. The other hand cupped her breast, with her hair long hair fanned untidily over her. He would have liked to see her expression when she woke up, or how she would explain his absence to Gul Evek, or the disappearance of her private files, or... something he was going to leave her with... He shook his head. She'd be livid, then she would try and cover the embarrassment by leaving him alone. A woman like Sedeka would admit to no one that a man had humiliated her, and on a turf she prided herself to be a past master.

What was she thinking? That he'd make love to her? He grew nauseous at the thought, the rising bile causing him to get up from the chair and stalk around her quarters in an attempt to quell it. He didn't want to touch anything else in her cabin. He would not use her bathroom, touch her water, even though he felt dirty from his earlier touches on her body. He gave a violent shudder.

He sat down on the chair again.

"So, Sedeka, what were you hoping to achieve by letting me know you're pregnant? Hmmm?" he asked very softly, imagining she heard him. "I guess you were hoping to trap me, like you've done before. I got away, so a baby would have been a useful tool to blackmail me with, to hold me hostage... Would you have said that?"

Chakotay thought she wouldn't. She'd be more devious. Not for Sedeka the soft, teary, feel-sorry-for-me-route. The way she handled the latest scam filled him with disbelief from the outset. But, it was just what he needed, and just the way Sedeka would operate. Even if Sedeka were lying about a pregnancy, it was something he sensed from their previous - distasteful - communications, that would have softened her up somewhat, made her weak and vulnerable. She wanted a child with him, the only way she could remain connected to him. That was her problem.

She wanted the connection to remain.

"You made a mistake when you sent Kathryn those holo-vids, Sedeka," he told the unconscious woman. "Then you made the mistake of tracking me down. Predictable...predictable... "

Chakotay thought how, after his first, momentous evening with Kathryn at the Command Performance, he had despaired so many nights and days, thought that he wasn't good enough for her, that he didn't deserve her when she did make the first overture to contact him. It had been as difficult for her to contact him as it was for him fearing to call her.

"The difference, my evil little Sedeka, is that I love Kathryn back. She loves me, and I love her. That is the deal. You want me, I don't want you. Not in a million years. And there lies the point of departure. You tried with devious ways to get me. All Kathryn had to do was smile. I love her; you could never understand that bond, never..."

He thought of the first time Sedeka contacted him via subspace. He had been distraught, unhappy at the direction his life and fortunes were taking.

"My wife left me," he said accusingly.

Inside him the fury raged, but outwardly he kept his cool. He was going to analyse every conversation with Sedeka. After Sergei had informed him of his innocence and how he had been drugged with hallucinogens, Chakotay was on his guard. She would have had things up her sleeve and he was going to find out what it was.

"Oh, I am so sorry to hear that, Chakotay," Sedeka replied, unable to sound genuinely sorry, probably feeling secretly elated that she succeeded in her secondary quest, her shallow insensitivity breaking through the sorry-looking smile.

"It's over between us," he led her on.

"Then, Chakotay, you know you can't deny what happened between us, and you can't deny the strong pull between us," she suggested amiably.

There was a flash of desire in her eyes, tinged with what he could only describe as Sedeka's brand of tenderness. She wanted him, he realised with blinding clarity. It was not the deliberate, calculating method of seducing him to get him off Dorvan V during its crucial talks with the Federation or to get information from him. Sedeka actually looked like there was more in her eyes than just her bloodless seduction of him. Her eyes had gone for a moment soft, with a tenderness that he couldn't reconcile with her. It was markedly different from the courteous and friendly person who befriended him on Dorvan V. This was different...different. Sedeka looked...in love...

After that day, on the occasions she contacted him, he played along with her, first teasing her to a frenzy by not saying anything of their time together, and just a hint of sex here and there; then came the sexual innuendos; he reminisced over the sex they had on his homeworld, talked about it in coarse detail, wondering at the way she relished in what they had done. He had gagged afterwards in his bathroom, then scrubbed himself down. But, Sedeka fell for it. He drew her closer and closer into his net, waiting for the right moment to set his own plan into action. He wondered what Gul Evek made of Sedeka's continued association with the man she had to get rid of in the first place, and in such a devastating manner too. Sedeka must have bought Gul Evek over with a story like entrenching the rift she caused, making doubly, triply, a hundredfold certain that Chakotay remained away from Dorvan V, that he posed no political risk. Yeah, he thought. Gul Evek would have fallen for that. But he, Chakotay, wasn't fooled.

He catalogued every word, every sentence that transpired between them, every facial expression and every movement Sedeka made during their subspace communications. When Sedeka called him a few days ago, way under the impression that they had become an item, he was ready for her. The baby... That was something he had not foreseen, though in retrospect, entirely in character for Sedeka to do if she wanted to destroy his wife, or him... Or gain a foothold. He sensed then that she must have contacted Kathryn with that information. If she wanted to drive home her own advantage, it was just the thing Sedeka would do to keep Kathryn away from him. Didn't he himself tell Sedeka that Kathryn left him? Sedeka was the type who had to make certain Kathryn kept away from him. Even if it weren't true, it was just the leverage he needed to determine Sedeka's latest motives. And even though Kathryn did leave him, it was something he hated doing, seducing Sedeka to the point where he could do what he had just done: effectively killing off her intimidation and removing all opportunity she had to attack them again.

Chakotay thought of Kathryn's expression when he contacted her via subspace a month ago. It was only later, when he could think straight, that he realised she must have heard some other distressing news. Kathryn looked totally shattered and bitter and angry. He had gone into his old insecure feelings that he was never good enough for her anyway, but later... When he could become rational again, he knew just how terribly Sedeka must have treated Kathryn. There was no doubt in his mind now that Kathryn thought he made a baby with Sedeka.

"Oh, Kathryn, maybe one day you'll know the full story. Maybe one day you'll understand that I've done this for you. I could never sleep with another woman. Never. What happened had not been in my control. Sedeka will not bother you again. She will be humiliated, but her pride will prevent her from admitting that she's been bested at her own game..."

Chakotay leaned back and wiped his brow. Kathryn's face flashed before him. For the first time it was not the face of the wounded doe as she ran away from him that fateful night on Dorvan V. It was Kathryn smiling, with the sun gleaming in her hair; Kathryn whose eyes laughed with humour in their moments of intimacy. Chakotay felt his eyes burn, and he blinked hard to prevent the tears from falling.

"We're free of her, Kathryn. She won't humiliate you with vile sex pictures, because I've made certain that it's deleted, permanently gone... She won't even contact you again. It's the least I could do for you, my love…my love…"

Chakotay sighed again. Kathryn was finished with him. He had to accept that; he still found it difficult to imagine he'll never see her again, and when they did, there would be nothing between them. For now, he was happy in the knowledge that he could do this for Kathryn, for them both.

For them both.

Chakotay rose stiffly. As soon as he was back on the Ormskirk, he was going to use the sonic shower and burn Sedeka's smell off his skin. He was fast developing a headache, but it would have to remain until he was on the shuttle and away from the Vetar. He opened the duffel and removed the med-kit. Taking a phial from it, he filled the hypospray. The drug resembled the Cardassians' strongest alcoholic beverage, and when Sedeka woke up, she'd think that she had been drinking heavily. She would find out instantly that she'd been tricked, but the inebriation was the story she was going to tell Gul Evek. Chakotay administered the spray with a soft, quick hiss, then stood back again. Sedeka would wake up in about 36 hours. No one would suspect anything since she had already informed Gul Evek and the rest of the crew she'd be holed up in her cabin with a man.

He would tell the crew in the shuttle bay that their talks had been concluded satisfactorily more than a day ahead of schedule, but that Sub-commander Sedeka did not wish to be disturbed during that time as it was still her off duty period.

Making certain everything was put back in place, Chakotay removed an object from the duffel, closing the bag again. He walked to her bed and stared emotionless at her body, at the way her lips were parted, her long hair fanned over her shoulders.

"Beautiful woman. Beautiful, scheming woman...." he whispered as he looked down at the freshly conked out Sub-commander.

"It was the one mistake you made, Sedeka. The one mistake."

He snorted.

"You fell in love."

The words were cutting, dripping with sarcasm. Chakotay shook his head. He knew that somewhere in the future, his path might cross with this woman again, but he would know that the next time they crossed, he'd kill her for real.

"You should have known, Sedeka, that I am a warrior, and right now, an angry warrior. When you thought to hurt my wife, you did something stupid, very stupid. Didn't you know that I would protect Kathryn Janeway with my very life if you hurt her? You touch my family, and you touch me. For that I'd do anything to bring you down, anything, and I found the perfect method."

Chakotay paused for a moment, stared dispassionately at the quiet Cardassian. Then he spread her legs even wider and pushed an oversized and very stiff replica of a human penis into her, forcing the broad organ with a sudden hard thrust, mindless of how her body twitched as her folds got caught and stretched until the penis was stuck firmly inside her. He had prepared for this; he pulled the leather thongs at the base of the dildo around her waist and secured it tightly to her body. Then he pressed the balls of the penis, and it started vibrating.

"That way, when you wake up thirty six hours from now, you'll think you've been fucked endlessly for that time. You'll be sore for weeks because, you evil troll, that thing has stretched you so wide, a horse could get in there. The poor wretched penis will spurt your own concoction you used against me, at four hour intervals which in your unconscious state will keep you blessedly thinking Chakotay is fucking you all the way to Cardassian heaven."

He stood back and looked at his handiwork. He gave a snort.

"When it's business you're doing, Sedeka, don't let your emotions get in the way..."

He left her cabin quietly, and half an hour later Chakotay was on his way to the USS Ormskirk.

****

A few days later Chakotay stood in the sick bay of the Ormskirk, with an irate Sergei Karkoff snapping the tricorder shut.

"You've completely recovered from you leg injury, Chak, you're fit as a damned fiddle. So what's the deal, with the seconds degree burns over ninety percent of your body?"

Chakotay looked at his friend and shrugged. "I passed out in the shower. That good enough for you?"

"Hell, that's a scenario that could happen, though I doubt it was like that in your case, Commander," he addressed Chakotay formerly. "I've already determined that you stood under your sonic shower for a full fifteen minutes until you passed out. If you weren't hailed at that time... Dammit, Chakotay, we had to fish you out of your sonic shower! Care to explain?"

Chakotay stood with his hands on his hips and only his eyes showed the flash of surprise. "So you know."

"What happened on the Vetar, Chak? You got back more than a week early, and on your return, you burn all the skin off your body in your shower - "

"Let's just say it's something I had to see to, okay? The - the burn was accidental."

Sergei gave an inelegant snort. He wanted to say something more, then changed his tack. Chakotay breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could relax too much, Sergei said:

"So, I'm not supposed to ask how you replicated some of the narcotics you took with you?"

"What?"

"Or, the med-kit you requisitioned - illegally - from stores - "

"Jeez..."

"Or the hallucinogen Sedeka used on you..."

"Sergei, come on, it was something I had to do. Don't - don't bug me about it will you?"

"You got rid of Sedeka?"

Chakotay flushed deeply. He turned on his heel, but before he could walk out of sickbay, Sergei spoke again, making him pause to look at the doctor. He saw how Sergei waited for his response. He sighed.

"Yes…yes, in a manner of speaking."

Sergei coughed.

"Chakotay…"

Chakotay turned a little cold at the tone in Sergei's voice.

"Yeah?"

"You're my best friend, my comrade. We're on our way back to earth, for a short spell. Perhaps you could speak with Kathryn - "

"Out of the question, Sergei." Chakotay pursed his lips.

"You've been pursuing something with the Cardassian - " Sergei's red face looked redder, his copper hair suddenly flaming in sympathy with his face and anger.

"Which is none of your business."

"Which is hurting Kathryn even more, now - "

Chakotay blanched at the directness of Sergei's statement.

"What the hell do you mean? I just got rid - "

"She knows, Chakotay."

"What?"

"That Sedeka is pregnant."

"H-how do you k-know?" he asked.

Sergei sighed. He seemed reluctant, was the impression Chakotay got, to tell him. He didn't want to say something about Kathryn that affected him.

"Kathryn called me on subspace, Chak. Wanted to know if I thought you'd call her again - "

Before Sergei could continue, Chakotay jumped forward and grabbed his shoulders, pushing him towards his office. Inside the office, he let go of Sergei as suddenly as he grabbed him. Sergei fell back in his chair.

"Kathryn wanted to speak with me?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder.

"Yeah, she wasn't sure you'd want to respond. She told me she shut you off six weeks ago."

"Jeez, Sergei. Now you're telling me!"

"I'm sorry, Chakotay. I noticed you became closed off at times; you let Sedeka's name slip through once or twice, so I thought - "

"You thought I've got the hots for Sedeka?"

"What the hell was I supposed to think? What the hell was Kathryn supposed to think when Sedeka told her of what you're still doing with her?" Sergei drew in his breath, then added reluctantly: "Kathryn told me what Sedeka said to her. It wasn't easy for her to tell a third person, my brother, but her eyes were…empty… I didn't tell you because…because it looked like you were getting caught up with Sedeka again, Chak."

Chakotay was livid at his friend's lack of trust. He couldn't see past how his own actions could lead his friend to be convinced he was bedding Sedeka.

"You, my best friend," he almost shouted, "who showed me a whole new world by encouraging me to go on a date with Kathryn, thereby changing my whole life? You? My God, Sergei! Don't you think you should have let me be the judge of that? What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry, Comrade. I was just thrown for a while when you became preoccupied every time Sedeka called you on subspace."

Sergei's hands went up in a defensive pose. Chakotay relented a little as he realised how he could have revealed himself to his friend, especially those times when Roger Petranoff had to inform him a subspace communication from the Vetar waited for him... He should see how they could talk... It didn't make him feel any better about what he had done with Sedeka, but he could see how his friends were concerned, how they sensed he was getting embroiled with Sedeka.

"You could still have told me," Chakotay said, his voice sounding sullen.

"I'm sorry, you hear me?" Sergei continued. "Kathryn was upset; she wanted to speak with you, but you were gone, to Sedeka. What could I tell her? I lied to her, fabricated something, then..." Sergei paused, his words hanging heavy in the still air of sick bay. He gave a deep sigh. "It inadvertently slipped out that you went to rendezvous with the Vetar... Kathryn - " Sergei coughed and look embarrassed. "Kathryn is back at Headquarters."

"What?"

"You didn't know?"

Chakotay drew in a deep breath. He wiped his brow. Kathryn, he swore, wanted nothing to do with him anymore. How could he know? It must have been something Kathryn had just decided. Still, why would she leave the Crimond? Why leave the Crimond?

"N-no," Chakotay admitted.

"Then you don't know…"

"Know what, Sergei? Know what?" Chakotay turned cold as he looked at his friend. Sergei shifted little nervously in his chair as Chakotay towered above him.

"Chakotay, what I'm going to say, is what I've told Kathryn on the day Dalene got married, to tell you. I thought you knew already. Then, I should have known you didn't, since you weren't talking about it. Kathryn obviously hasn't told you. Her intentions were there, okay? She was going to tell you. But then she got that call from - from Sedeka…"

Chakotay bent down and pulled Sergei from the chair. His hands trembled as he made Sergei face him. He hissed.

"She was going to tell me what, Sergei?"

Sergei had a look on his face that suggested Chakotay was stupid not to have known long ago. Chakotay felt a cold shiver up his spine as he braced for Sergei's revelation.

"Kathryn is pregnant, Chakotay. She's six and a half months pregnant."

***

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