The Knowledge

The Knowledge
Leonie — 28 Sep 1998, 4:20 PM

"Special Delivery"

"Thank you" Kathryn took the letter from the messenger and looked at its origin. It was from Federation City. She knew that it couldn't be from Lady Templeton again because she was there in Voyager City being treated for her injuries. She felt her spirit rise. It was indeed from a friend of hers in the Federation whom she contacted shortly after the fire that threatened to destroy her herds and Ranch.

She made herself comfortable and began reading. She read it again, caught up in the story that was unfolding with each line of the carefully typed report. When she finished, she committed some of the details to memory and threw the report in the fire in the living room. She walked over to the bay window lost in thought.

Kathryn allowed herself a small smile. She knew that something was different about Lee-Marie from the time she saw her dressed for the Ball. She recognized her breeding. Lee-Marie wasn't all that she appeared to be and now she had confirmation of this fact. She would use it when she needed to, but not yet. She needed every able person during the cattle drive and Lee-Marie could ride a horse and herd very well. She would be stupid to let her go now. Still with every thing that she had just found out, there was a part of her that was pleased, that Lee-Marie would be around just a while longer.

Who did Miss Leonie-Marie think she was coming in here and taking her Foreman's attentions away from her?

Kathryn sighed. Part of it was her fault she knew. If she had wanted Chakotay, all she had to do was say 'yes' and she would have had him. She just never got around to it and now someone else had. But she could fix that if she wanted to. Did she want to? Lee-Marie was a woman, like she was. A woman who was falling in love and in one move, Kathryn could destroy her life and drive her out of Voyager City forever. And she would do that to get Chakotay. Was he worth it? It would be one of the coldest acts that she could perform.

A lot of people said that she was as cold as Sevenita that's why they were always arguing with each other. She had heard the names that they called her behind her back "Bun of Steel" Old "Iron Dress" and much worse. She didn't care. What did they know? She had done what she needed to do, when she needed to, to protect her Ranch, her livelihood; her family. And that's what Delta Q was to her, her family. She had sworn on Mark's grave that she would keep their Ranch going no matter what the cost and she had done just that.

Sometimes, she did wonder if the cost was too high. If she shouldn't give up the Ranch and start over again somewhere else. But in her heart of hearts, she couldn't. She had made a promise and Kathryn Janeway kept her promises no matter what. It was a high cost. She had no time for herself as she fought to keep the Delta Q going, keep Chakotay and Tom from killing each other. Keep her eye on Kes and Sevenita. Worry about B'Elanna and the other Ranch hands. She was always the head of the Delta Q Ranch.

She and Mark had been so happy in the beginning. She remembered laughing as he showed her the land that he had brought for them, the plans that he had made for the Ranch and the building of their hopes and dreams. She remembered the carefree woman who was someone's wife, friend and confidant. She was lost to that woman now....

"Miss Kathryn?" Chakotay said softly

The Truth
Leonie — 28 Sep 1998, 4:22 PM

The wind was racing against her. It was constant and then ever changing. One moment, it hit her as a in her face and made her eyes water and her lids shut. The next moment it was like her lover's caress, soft and gentle. It whipped through her hair. She gave a small smile. A lot of people hated the fact that she wore her hair that short, but it was functional and being functional was part of her job. Short hair was easier to handle and it certainly made it easier to ride. The sun was just beginning to rise. It had been a long time since she had looked at a sunrise. There was always something that called to her attention at Delta Q, and she just didn't have time. She smiled as she recalled just what one of those distractions were. In fact he was the main distraction.

She felt the movement beneath her. Her mount was keeping a good steady pace, despite the little obstacles which were part of this trail. He should have been, they had ridden this trail a lot. It was the shortest path from the Delta Q, through the Nekred expanse to a little ridge called 'Fraiser's Head'. The name brought back unpleasant memories for her, but it was the best place for the meeting. It was far enough from the Delta Q and Voyager City so that no prying eyes would just happen to see who she was meeting. Discretion was of the utmost importance in this meeting.

JTM prepared to give a small jump to cross a meter and a half drop in the plain. Lee-Marie shifted her weight just a little, reading for his move. It had been a long while since she took JTM for an extended ride. With all the going ons, she had no time to do such and to make it even worst, since Chakotay had begun to officially "call" on her, he insisted on riding JTM more often in order to get more 'comfortable' riding him. What was it about men, that they feel like they have to take over everything in your life because they were 'calling' on you? With all the prayers that she had been offering up every time her lover mounted her horse, she was eligible to join the Convent. Well that was if Mother superior did not know about Chakotay. And if the Convent was near Voyager city, she couldn't help but know about it.

Lee-Marie was happy. Or at least she thought she was. It was a feeling that she had long given up on. There were times when she was with Chakotay that she remembered what it was like before Mickie-C died. And then there were other times. Lee-Marie sighed as the feeling of comfort that she was experiencing riding left her. Her stomach began to turn. There were snags in her relationship. They would happen every once in a while and they were interrupt her happiness and make her realize that she had taken the right course of action. She caught the looks, the ones that Miss Kathryn gave Chakotay and the ones that he returned. The looks of jealousy that were in his eyes when he observed the Marshal and Miss Kate together. When she was with him, he was completely with her, but when she was not........

The Truth pt 2
Leonie — 28 Sep 1998, 4:25 PM

Lee-Marie had her doubts as to what really occurred when she was not with him. She knew that he hadn't slept with Miss Kathryn while he was courting her. He wouldn't do that to her. He may be pigheaded and stubborn, but he was honorable. Sometimes Lee-Marie felt as if that were enough. Other times she felt as if it wasn't. She shifted uncomfortably in her saddle. She could feel the change in her mount. He seemed uncertain of what to do, of what this new change her body language would mean. He hadn't realized that it wasn't issued as a command. She saw that she had approached Fraiser's Point and gently pulled on the reigns as she saw her old friend waiting for her. He was off his horse and standing on the edge of the Point. JTM stopped and Lee-Marie dismounted.

Thomas Magnum smiled at her.

"Miss Lee"

She smiled back, "How did you know?"

"It seems that you and Mr. Chakotay are the constant topics of conversation. It is the way he addresses you isn't it?"

"Yes"

"I hope that you don't mind that I have used it."

"No, I don't"

Lee-Marie looked up at him with trepidation. He was making small talk. There would be no good news.

"You have something for me?"

"Lee, sit down" Lee-Marie made herself comfortable on the ground and he joined her. Mr. Magnum took her hand.

"Are you sure that you want to know this?"

There was no hesitation in her answer, "Yes"

He gave her the sheets of typed paper and she began to read. Tom Magnum released his hold on her hand but placed it instead on her arm. He knew that she would need something solid to connect to as she read his report.

Lee-Marie did. Oh how she did!!! It seemed that everything that she ever knew or thought she knew about Delta Q was wrong. As she read the report over and over, one thought kept crossing her mind.

'Who are these people?'

It certainly wasn't the people who she had spent the last month with. What was written in that report seemed to be about strangers who she had never met. How did they live like this with all the secrets? She chided herself for that thought. She had a lot of secrets of her own.

Tom Magnum looked this woman whom he had watch grow up. His heart ached for her. It was all written on her face what she felt. The shock , the confusion and the anger. The hurt came later when she read about her lover. That was the final part of the report. It was the part that he was most afraid for her to read.

She read it through twice and then gave the papers back to Tom. He saw the blank look cross her face as she did so. He knew that she wasn't taking it well.

"Burn them"

"Will you remember everything that's in here."

"Yes"

"OK" He withdrew his lighter and lit the pages. They watched as the papers burned itself into a charred mass. Tom put his arms around Lee-Marie. She didn't move, she refused to allow him to comfort her.

"Thank you Tom. You've been a great help. At least now I know what I am up against."

He gave her a quick hug and tipped his hat after he mounted his horse. He knew her well enough to know that she wanted to be alone.

"Take care of yourself Lee-Marie"

"I will" She stared right past him as he galloped off into the distance. Lee-Marie buried her head in her arms. What in the name of common sense was she going to do about this?

She didn't know how long she sat there, but she did until she felt something pushing against her arms. JTM was gently nudging her . She jumped and looked up swiftly. She had forgotten about her mount. Pulling out her watch from her waist coat she looked at the time. Lee-Marie shook her head as if trying to clear it of her thoughts. She'd better hurry, they were going to be leaving for the cattle drive in two days and she still had a ton of things to do.

The Promise
Leonie — 28 Sep 1998, 4:28 PM

The Promise: Leonie

Kathryn jumped. "Oh goodness Chakotay you scared me"

"You look deep in thought"

"Did you want something Chakotay?"

"I wanted to give you the latest on the preparations."

He joined her at the window and they went over every one of the details that they had been mapping out for the last four days. When she was satisfied that everything was going according to plan, Chakotay walked away from her towards the front door in order to leave the room. Kathryn turned to the window but continued talking. They were good friends and when he wasn't arguing with her and chest butting with Tom. He would recognize her need to talk.

"Ah knew that this day would come and now where here."

He turned towards her.

"Are you having second thoughts about the drive?" He crossed the room and stood between her and the window.

"No, but I know what we are up against, what we're going to face. Lady luck better be on our side."

"She is."

"I've been asking myself at what point does the cost of saving the Delta Q become too great. At what point do I just pack up and start over again."

"Ah reckon that if we ever get to that point, you and I can make that decision together. Miss Kathryn, I know that you and I have not always seen eye to eye in the past four years, but you've known that though everything I've been at your side as your friend. This time will be no different."

"Four years ago, I didn't even know your name and now I can't imagine a day without you."

Kathryn reached out and touched his chest and liked what she felt and what she saw. He was solid and he was there for her. She felt the undercurrent of something more, but decided to ignore it. This was a moment of friendship and she was not going to spoil it by thinking of things that could have been.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Kathryn and Chakotay turned quickly to see Lee-Marie standing in the door way, her face set like flint.

tbc in 'The confrontation'