Chakotay
Loneliness takes on many different forms. It manifests itself as nostalgia, anger, homesickness.
He had experience with each. He had spoken to the younger set about their homes and families, had confronted too many lost lovers, lost children, lost causes.
He had met the older ones for coffee or tea in the too-clean mess hall or his almost-home office. He learned of their hopes, their dreams, the wishes that would remain unrealized.
He had one meeting left to conduct, one that he was dreading. One he did not know how to handle.
He looked around the empty room and began.
*END*