One Child

The Truth Be Told

once again Kathryn woke up to the exceptionally exasperating computer wake up call. She took a quick sonic shower and since she was to be off duty she put on a casual cobalt blue dress, then swiftly made her way to sickbay for unknown length of time.

Chakotay seating in his chair on the bridge was wondering why Janeway was in sickbay and had the day off, especially since he knew that she did not feel will yesterday. He was now very worried. He also was trying to think of some excuse to go to sickbay to check on her. He was thinking then remembered his weekly report he could deliver to her.

In sickbay the captain was now dressed in a hospital gown lying on a bio bed with the doctor hovering over her holding a tricorder. The doctor’s face went from relaxed to worried very fast. Janeway noticed this.

“Doctor what is it.”

“I do not know hold on for one a second,” doctor the requested as he moved to the diagnostic station.

“Is there something wrong with the baby?” worry now in her eyes and in her voice.

“I am not sure I need to run some more tests I am going to sedate you so you do not move because the test need to be very precise all right.”

She nodded unable to find words.

“Ok here we go,” he told her as he pressed a hypo spry to her neck with the familiar hiss then Janeway fail in to a deep sleep wail the doctor continued to exam her.

Chakotay meanwhile was on his way to sickbay with his weekly report thinking that the captain and doctor were busy discussing the crew’s health. When he entered sick he took in the site of the doctor scanning with a worried look, an unconscious Janeway.

He immediately ran to the doctor’s side.

“What is going on,” he requested in a frantic voice, “What is wrong with her.”

“I do not know, there is something wrong with the baby.”

“BABY!”

“You mean she has not told you”

“no, and there is smoothing wrong with it”

“Yes, but I have not found out what that is yet the baby is to small at this stage in her pregnancy.” The doctor looked over at Chakotay who was completely dumbfounded. “Perhaps you should sit down commander.”

Chakotay nodded also unable to find words and moved to the nearest bio bed and took a seat, watching the doctor continue his scans. After an hour the doctor closed his tricorder and went to his office to examine the data. Chakotay who had been sitting on a bio bed move over to Kathryn and took her hand.

The doctor then came out with the results of his scans. He woke Janeway and told Chakotay and Janeway that there child had a rare form of dwarfism called primordial dwarfism.

“What do you mean,” She meekly whispered all most in tears.

“Ok I will try to explain. See primordial dwarfism is a rare disorder that causes extremely short stature. Also bird like structuring of the face. Even in the twenty forth century we still know very little about this disorder, but most pregnancies have a normal gestation period.” He stated in an attempt to comfort them.

“Thank you doctor.” Chakotay said

“Captain,”

“Yes doctor” she said trying to regain her composure.

“You may return to duty or you quarters now I see no real reason to relive you from them or keep you confined to sickbay.”

“All right doctor.”

“Here take this with you it contains prenatal care advice, and captain congratulations.”

“Thank you,” she told him as she went behind the privacy screen and changed back in to here dress. Then walked out of sickbay with Chakotay. Instead of going back to her quarters she decided with Chakotay to stop by the mess hall now openly showing that they were by here leaning on him hands locked. On the way the got a few approving nodes from crewman they passed in the hall.

When they walked in to the mess hall they were spotted by two lieutenants sitting in the corner.

“I told you they were going out B’Elanna” Tom smirked now knowing that one of his betting pools was now oafishly sealed.

“All right so they are you honestly could not tell.”

Janeway and Chakotay proceeded to eat their meal and then headed back to Janeway’s quarters knowing that the whole crew would know the whole truth of the past two years regarding Chakotay and her.