Title: Kiss of the Spider People
Series: Star Trek: Voyager
Author: Singing Violin
Rating: T
Summary: Janeway gets into some hot water with some hostile aliens. Set shortly after "Coda."
Disclaimer: As usual, I'm borrowing. Please don't sue.
Feedback: Please tell me if you've read and enjoyed my story. Also, minor corrections are welcome. Otherwise, no need to bother.
Archiving: Anywhere.
Author's Note: I am so, so sorry that this took so long. Real Life came and overwhelmed me for a while. Actually, it's still quite overwhelming, so don't expect any more writing anytime soon. But finishing this was a graduation present to myself. One fewer thing on my "to do" list…

Epilogue

As the ship raced away from the fearsome aliens, Chakotay sat by the bedside of his unconscious captain, wishing he could run from her as well.

But he could no more escape her command – over his emotions as well as his ship and crew – than a trapped insect could escape a spider's web.

Unlike the insect, however, he was determined not to dissolve into digestible goo. Although she did … to save you. He shuddered at the thought, but renewed his resolve to remain independent of mind and spirit. It was already more than he could bear to almost lose her; he couldn't imagine the fate Voyager would suffer under his command – or even Tuvok's, should he abdicate – if they weren't so lucky next time. He couldn't afford to get any closer than he already was, and he needed to at least attempt to distance himself from this dangerous creature lying prone before him.

"It's okay to touch her," he heard the Doctor interrupt his thoughts. "It will aid in her recovery."

The commander nodded, reaching out to stroke her arm. But sharply, he drew back. He couldn't … not now. If he touched her, he would dissolve. "I have to go," he announced, rising from his seat.

As he looked back at her frail form, he blinked back tears – tears of regret at what he was giving up for the safety of all the people aboard the ship.

If we ever get back, I will grab onto her and never let her go. I can afford to be selfish then.

He knelt before her, his head bowed in deference to his mistress.

"You have disappointed me," she stated perfunctorily. "Protocol dictates that your life be sacrificed to maintain the order that gives us meaning."

He remained motionless, knowing that he was forbidden to speak, and had nothing to say even if he were permitted. He had failed her, and his shame seemed to emanate from his core to the tips of all his limbs. He deserved nothing other than his fate.

"However," she continued, pausing to allow the word to be processed by her underlings, "this was the protocol followed by my predecessor, who managed to lose her life, her ship, and her crew."

At that, his antennae quivered with confusion and hope.

"It is my prerogative," she asserted, "to change the protocols when they fail to serve our needs. Come here," she ordered.

Trembling nearly uncontrollably, he approached his queen.

"I hereby grant you your life," she stated, lightly touching his head with her sharp claw. "Your job henceforward is to prevent anyone else from making the same mistakes you did. Never again shall we lose an enemy prisoner. Are you capable of this task?"

"Yes, Highness," he answered gratefully, not quite believing what he was hearing. "I shall not disappoint you again."

"If you do, I shall not hesitate to feast upon your flesh," she responded coolly.

"I understand," he replied, still bent before her.

"Take him away," she ordered, and at once several guards approached and escorted him out.

She hoped she had made a wise decision. They had not returned from the altercation with new technology, nor even exotic flesh on which to dine, but she was determined not to come away empty-clawed. If there was something to be learned from their peculiar behavior, she would know it, and use it to benefit her people. From the demeanor of her spared subject, she suspected she may soon learn a love none of her predecessors had ever known.

But this path, too, was fraught with danger. As readily as some may obey a merciful leader, others may perceive her as weak, and take the opportunity to rebel. But traitors had already been in their midst, and had cost lives, ships, and most of all the opportunity to gain valuable information and food. Would a new direction lead to even more rebellion, or eliminate it entirely?

Only time would tell whether the silk she spun would lead to glistening beauty and bountiful sustenance.

Groggily, Kathryn awoke, and immediately felt as if something – someone – were missing.

Chakotay. He must have had to return to duty. I wonder what crisis he's gotten us into now? I'd best speed my recovery before he destroys the ship.

With difficulty, she sat up, and grabbed hold of the biobed as her vision blurred slightly. Squeezing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath, only to feel a hand on her chest, forcing her to lie down once more.

"Easy, Captain," she heard, and it was not the voice she wanted so desperately to hear. Sure, she was angry with him … and briefly wondered whether his absence was due to fear of punishment for putting the ship in danger. But truth be told, she was grateful to be alive, and still credited her survival to the memory of the tender embrace that kept her warm in the cold and gave her courage to persevere.

The holographic doctor, on the other hand, offered little comfort. And having escaped him once, she doubted she'd be able to do so again. She sighed, resigning herself to her fate, then looked him in the eye. She steeled herself for the request. "May I have some leola broth, please?"

"Hrmph," the Doctor replied grumpily, attempting to calculate all the possible ways in which she might evade his medical advice in the immediate future. "Only if you promise not to get up until I tell you it's okay. I'm not even going to replicate another set of braces until you're ready to use them."

She nodded weakly. "I promise." At least until I find out that someone else has put Voyager in danger.

The Doctor eyed her again, curiously, then briefly left, returning with a bowl of steaming liquid and a spoon. He then supported her as she sat up, more slowly this time, and without the adverse effect.

Again, she choked down the soup, along with tears of humiliation that threatened to erupt from the corners of her eyes. She hadn't felt this helpless in a long time, and it didn't suit her. She was supposed to be the one taking care of her crew, not the other way around.

At least it's just the hologram. She comforted herself with the thought that she need not reveal her vulnerability to the rest of the crew. Not even Kes … where is Kes?

As if to thwart her self-reassurance, the object of her musings entered through the Sickbay doors.

"Ah, Kes," the EMH acknowledged. "I could use your help here."

Please don't let him make her feed me.

The girl nodded, but before speaking, ran to the captain and embraced her gently, but firmly. Slightly surprised, Kathryn wrapped her arms around the Ocampa and lightly patted her back.

"Oh, Captain," Kes cooed breathlessly. "We were so worried … I'm so glad you're going to be okay ... you are going to be okay, aren't you?" The young woman then turned to the Doctor for confirmation, and he nodded.

Despite herself, the captain had to repress a giggle at Kes's overzealous concern. "I'm fine, Kes. Just a few days and I'll be good as new."

At that, Kes hugged her again, then pulled away. "What can I help you with, Doctor?"

The tinkerers gathered in dim light, paper notes gathered possessively in clenched claws.

"There has been a loss in our community," the leader spoke. "This one was dangerously close to revealing our secrets to the queen. We must discuss."

Tentatively, one spoke up. "I have heard, Master, that the new queen is not like the others. The day we have awaited for generations may be arriving."

The leader's antennae twitched. "That may be, but we cannot risk destroying our web before our egg sac has been laid."

"Agreed," spoke another. "We must still wait. What is another 32,768 cycles?"

"It may not be that long. We have already heard she has chosen not to execute one of her crew members, the one that nearly got the ship destroyed like its predecessor."

There was a collective clicking as the news that she had saved a life was digested.

"Was there a reason given?" a young one queried.

"We have not received that information, but we have some theories. We believe the alien species they last encountered may have influenced her thinking. Ordinarily, we would push to replace her immediately, as she is clearly impaired, but this may work to our advantage."

The murmurs grew louder. The leader raised several of his limbs to quiet the crowd. "We must be patient," he reminded them. "Remember, any attempt to reveal sensitive information will result in your death. Our comrade martyred himself to protect us; do not join him without reason. You risk being consumed by your partner before mating is complete."

They seemed to understand.

Three weeks later…

An uneasy Chakotay stood at attention in the captain's ready room.

Janeway eyed him curiously. "At ease, Commander," she ordered, not even attempting to hide her surprise that the order was necessary.

She met his eyes, attempting to discern his thoughts, to no avail. "Do you know why you're here, Chakotay?" she asked, seriously wondering if the answer was negative.

"I have a good idea," he replied, not bothering to elaborate.

"You've been avoiding me," she accused.

"I've been busy," he answered, "running your ship. And then I was catching up on some much-needed rest."

Plausible, but completely untruthful, she concluded. She continued to stare him down, silently, knowing he would break.

She was not mistaken. "Permission to speak," he requested, fidgeting slightly.

"Granted," she spoke automatically. This is going to be good.

"I …" His voice trailed off then, as if he'd lost his nerve.

"Spit it out, Chakotay. It's just me." She moved towards him, made a motion to touch his arm as she had so many times before.

He flinched, pulled away. She clenched her jaw, attempting not to audibly gasp. This is new.

"Look, Kathryn … Captain," he began, rushing his words as if to get them out before they could become trapped. "You put yourself in danger unnecessarily. You almost died … again. I can't … you can't do this to the crew. You should have seen them when they thought you were dead. I can't control them like that. They were … we were all wrecks. I …" Suddenly, he had no more words, and bit his lip as a solitary tear escaped from the corner of his eye.

She circled him slightly, crossed her arms, and gazed into his eyes. "What are you saying?"

He took a deep breath. "I'll serve you faithfully," he told her. "But that's it. I can't … nothing more. And I'm going to disagree with your decisions, sometimes. But I'll obey."

She raised an eyebrow, then lowered her voice to a volume barely audible above the hum of the ship's engines. "Chakotay, I've always valued your counsel. If you disagree with me, I appreciate your telling me so … in private."

"Permission to speak freely."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course."

"You never listen. I express my reservations and you go off and risk your life anyway. Do you even have a clue what putting yourself in danger does to this crew? To me?"

"I know," she admitted calmly. "There was no other way."

"How do you know?" he questioned, his voice betraying his frustration. "You didn't even take the time to consider other options. You're reckless, hasty, undisciplined. And you're going to get yourself killed –" The moment it came out, he regretted it.

For a moment, she just stood there, quietly, absorbing his tirade. Finally, she broke the awkward silence, still speaking softly. "I certainly hope not, but if I do, it will be to save the lives of everyone else on this ship. And if it does happen, I need to be able to count on you to bring them home."

His heart sank in his chest. She wasn't even angry. He'd expected an argument, and all he was getting was resignation. And more respect than he deserved. She hadn't even reminded him that he'd put the whole ship in danger just to save her.

Then it dawned on him. He'd seen her naked, soiled, ill. He'd held her in his arms at her most vulnerable. Her cards were all on the table. Either she was handling the whole thing really well, or she wasn't handling it at all.

Suddenly he softened. "Kathryn, are you okay?"

About as well as possible, given the lack of your support over the last few weeks. "I'm fine," she responded. "Can I count on you?" she reiterated.

"Always," he answered easily.

"Good. You're dismissed."

His mouth agape at the abrupt end to the meeting, he turned and walked onto the bridge.

Alone again, she collapsed into her chair and laid her head in her hands. The loneliness of her post had never been more palpable. And yet, while Chakotay had all but denied her his friendship, somehow he had given her hope. He'd provided support even whilst promising not to.

My Angry Warrior is an enigma indeed.

They'd continue their conversation at a later date, she was sure. But for now, this had to be enough.