Chakotay drew in a deep breath and glanced around at the lush green landscape before him. Voyager was in orbit above a planet called Jula by its native inhabitants to procure supplies for their ongoing voyage back through the Delta Quadrant. The tall dense forest and swift flowing river beside him reminded him of the several weeks he and Kathryn had spent on the planet they had dubbed New Earth.

Chakotay requested and was granted permission to camp in the woods over the past several days. He figured shore leave with a change of scenery from his stark captain's quarters would make it easier to dismiss her from his thoughts. But he had done nothing but reminisce about Kathryn as she had been in similar surroundings: intensely studying her experiments, tentatively reaching out to the wild monkey, and laughingly scolding him about his latest craft project. Most memorable of all, he had dreamed last night of her gentle touch as she joined her hand with his once again just as she had after he told her of his 'ancient legend.'

Chakotay's daydreams were interrupted by three transporter beams that brought Belanna, Tom and Harry down beside him. Belanna walked up and tossed her head as Chakotay turned and saw two people approach the group on horseback. Their sharp hooves churned up the dirt covering the couple in a cloud of dust. The man was clad in leather boots, pants and a sleeveless cloth shirt. His female companion wore similar dress with metal bracelets placed up and down her tanned arms that glinted under the hot rays of the planet's sun.

They stopped at the edge of the clearing and dismounted. The couple regarded each other in silence for a few moments before the man nodded at his companion and walked alone to Chakotay.

"You are marked. You must be the one they call Chakotay."

"Yes."

Placing a hand on his chest, he said, "I am called Rafa. This is my mate, Lura."

Lura bowed as Chakotay introduced the others. "Members of my crew: Belanna, Tom, and Harry."

"We welcome you to Jula," Rafa said. "We have heard great tales of the people from the other side of the stars looking to find their way home."

"We found our way back home," Chakotay said. "We returned here to explore and make new friends."

Rafa arched an eyebrow. "Then there is more to your journey here than just supplies. It is as our guides have said."

"Guides?"

Rafa waved a hand towards the sky. "We believe we are blessed by strong and powerful guides who show us our life paths. We have more than supplies to give you or they would not have brought you here."

"My tribe on the other side of the stars has beliefs similar to your own."

Rafa pointed a finger at him. "Then, that is why you are. They recognized a kindred villager. Our guides have a message for you."

Belanna stepped forward. "A message? What kind of message?"

"Belanna," Rafa repeated. "You must be the female captain we have heard about."

Belanna glanced at Chakotay before shaking her head. "No. I'm afraid Admiral Janeway is not with us."

Rafa's forehead wrinkled. "She did not make the return trip?"

Chakotay shook his head. "No."

The woman, Lura, approached him. "But she is here."

Chakotay took a deep breath. "No, she's not. Admiral Janeway is no longer…alive."

"You mean she is not in her original form. But she is here," Lura said. "After her encounter with the Borg Queen, she decided to stay and not move on. How do you not know this?" Her intense blue eyes stared into Chakotay's confused dark ones.

"The Borg," Rafa said. "We have not heard good things but we have not met them yet."

"Consider yourselves lucky," Tom said. "Those rumors are true. We didn't realize you kept up with the news in the Alpha Quadrant."

"How did you know that about Admiral Janeway?" Harry asked. "How did you know about her and the Borg Queen?"

Lura ignored the question and drew herself up to Chakotay's full height. "You are lying."

Chakotay blinked. "Lying? I have not lied to you."

Lura's eyes narrowed. "You are telling us your captain has passed from this world."

"She has."

"You are wrong."

Belanna cleared her throat. "I think we should discuss the supplies…"

"What do you mean by that?" Chakotay said.

"She left her body but she is still here," Lura said.

Chakotay relaxed. "You mean she is with us in spirit."

"No!" Lura said. Her finger hit the middle of his chest. "She is here, in this world, with you." Her eyes darted to each person's face before coming back to focus on him. "You and she had a primal attachment. You were more than crew members. You were mates."

Tom coughed and Harry shook his head as they both tried to maintain their composure.

Belanna crossed her arms and snapped, "That's none of your business! Who are you to make a statement like that? You don't even know him!"

Lura looked sideways at her. "I see what I see and I know what I know."

Belanna's arms dropped. "Oh, you do, do you? Well let me tell you what I see and what I know…"

Chakotay put a hand on Belanna's shoulder to hold her in place. "Lura, Admiral Janeway and I shared a deep friendship while we were together on Voyager. But that's all."

"You lie again," Lura said. "Why are you not honest in your truth, Chakotay? You were not taught that by your elders. You have not completed your life path with her yet but you will."

"What does that mean?" Harry asked.

"I am afraid my wife should have a more delicate touch in sharing certain things with you," Rafa scolded. "I apologize for her directness without invitation."

Lura's eyes darted with Chakotay's as she stepped back at bit. "My apologies. I did not mean to offend. I just believe it is best that people are aware of their truths. All of them."

"My tribe believes that our friends and family do not leave us when they physically die. They become spirits who watch over us. Guide us through this world until we join them in the other." He paused. "I find it very comforting that you see her around me. I have not been able to contact her in my own vision quests."

Lura shook her head. "You can not find her because she is not there. She is here. Tell me you did not touch her last night."

Chakotay's mouth dropped as Belanna and the others gasped. Nudging his elbow, she whispered, "Chakotay, did something happen last night?"

Chakotay closed his mouth and shifted. Tugging on his ear, he said, "You tell me she is physically here but I know that is not possible. Her body does not exist anymore. It was…overtaken by the Borg Queen…and the ship that she was on was destroyed. It's just not possible that she is here with us in any physical way."

"Not in her original body but with a new one," Lura replied.

"You mean like reincarnation?" Harry asked. "She was reborn into another body?"

Lura shrugged. "Not reborn but a new body would be easy enough for her to create. She has learned much from the Q."

"Q!"

"The Q?"

"What did you say?"

As Belanna, Tom and Harry sounded their surprise; Rafa stepped back and watched closely as Lura ran her hand across Chakotay's chest. "You use technology to convert this matter into energy and back again to come here and visit us. At our core and at our death, we are energy. She would be able to manifest a new body. Not with technology but with the help of the Q."

"You think she is with the Q?" Belanna said.

"Q has taken her to the Continuum before," Harry said.

"Do you think he brought her back by just...?" Tom snapped his fingers.

"Or saved her at the last minute…" Belanna finished. She glanced up at Chakotay who stared at Lura, lost in his thoughts.

After a moment, he shook his head. "No. If Q had done that, Kathryn…she…she wouldn't let us all believe…she wouldn't have let me…all of us…how can I believe what you say is true?"

Rafa pulled his wife back again. "Lura knows many things. We train from birth to open our eyes to see the possibilities of our world and others."

"Then you have seen her too?" Chakotay asked. "With Q?"

"I have seen glimpses of a red haired woman who I do not know. If Lura says this is your captain, then she must be."

"Where? Show her to me." Chakotay demanded.

"She must show herself," Lura said. "We have no power over her."

"Q may have her hidden somewhere," Tom said.

Chakotay clenched his fists and looked away in disgust.

"She comes to you at night, alone, Chakotay. The Q, they are not with her then," Lura said. "She is free to watch over you. She was with you last night. Did you truly not feel her presence?"

Chakotay fought his emotions and took a deep breath to coax down the lump in his throat that threatened to choke him. As he took a few steps, Belanna followed and laid a hand against his back which he shook off.

"She's afraid," Lura continued.

Chakotay whirled around knocking Belanna back. "Of what? Kathryn has never been afraid of me! Not of me! Not of anyone!"

"We all fear, Chakotay, especially for those we love the most," Lura said. "You will have to speak to her for your answers."

"Then where is she?" Chakotay said. "If she is here, why doesn't she speak to me now?"

"Will you accept her?"

"As a Q?" Chakotay said. "Of course!"

"No, as herself. If you welcome her as she is, she will come to you," Lura said. "Her memories, her feelings, her emotions are all there. I don't believe she would be here, with you, around all of you, if she did not know who she was or where she had been. Call to her when you are alone. She wants very much to communicate with you."

Chakotay looked around at his crew whose expressions of confusion and disbelief mirrored his own. He slapped his communicator. "Voyager, prepare to beam me up at my signal." Turning to Rafa, he said, "If you will excuse me, I need to return to my ship. Belanna, Tom, and Harry can give you our supply list for the trades."

Rafa nodded. "Of course. Lura has revealed a great deal to you. You need time now. Maybe you will return here tonight and find your captain. You and I will discuss the trades tomorrow."

Chakotay's eyes found Lura's as she offered him a small smile. "Energize."