"Ask Chakotay," Janeway responded.
Kayla returned to Chakotay's quarters and asked him if she could go on the away mission.
"No." Chakotay replied. He didn't like her putting herself in danger.
Kayla sighed in aggravation and left again. Maybe she could get someone else to let her go without Chakotay knowing. She stopped Tom in the corridor.
"Hey, Tom. Can go down to the surface with you?"
"Ask B'Elanna, Kayla, she's leading my team." Tom answered.
Kayla traveled all the way to engineering to ask B'Elanna.
"B'Elanna, can i go on the away mission with your team?"
"No, Kayla," she said irritably.
Kayla resisted the urge to attack her, saying, "You're just lucky you have Tom on your side!" She stormed off. She almost walked into Kim on her way to the turbolift.
"Harry, can i go down to the planet with you?" she demanded.
"No, Chakotay told us not to let you come," Harry replied, eyeing her nervously.
"Fine. I'll just go find Chakotay again myself. Computer, locate Commander Chakotay."
"Commander Chakotay is in engineering."
Kayla turned around and stepped back into engineering, wondering how she had missed him in the first place.
She hadn't missed him. He wasn't in Engineering. "Computer, Locate Commander Chakotay," she said again.
"Commander Chakotay is in the mess hall." The computer replied.
Kayla got halfway to the mess hall before it occured to her that Chakotay was moving around.
"Computer," she said a third time. "Locate Commander Chakotay.
"Commander Chakotay is on the bridge."
Kayla took a deep breath and raced for the bridge. She emerged from the turbolift to find Janeway and Tuvok, and a few ensigns. No Chakotay. She looked at Captain Janeway. "Is Chakotay here?" She asked, confused.
Janeway looked around. "No," she said dryly.
"Has he been here at all in the last few minutes?" Kayla demanded in exasperation.
"Not this morning. He has second shift today."
"Then the computer is screwed." Kayla replied bluntly.
Janeway looked at her for a moment. "Computer, locate Lieutenant-Commander Tuvok," She ordered it, glancing over at him.
"Lieutenant-Commander Tuvok is in his quarters."
Tuvok raised an eyebrow.