Nobody really got up, or batted much of an eyelash, at the sounds emanating from the Ready Room, so when Annika emerged only moments later -- slightly mussed, with what appeared to be a rank pip held between her teeth -- the Bridge crew was a little surprised.

"Captain Chakotay will be unavailable for the duration of this shift. He has requested no interruptions for any reason," Annika stated as she stalked off the bridge.

"Yeah, I bet," Paris leered, jealous beyond reason. Just why, oh why, wouldn't B'Elanna crazy glue those spare metal parts to her face? Didn't she love him?

Little did anyone know, that Captain Chakotay was upside down, naked, and tied in a very suspicious position within the Ready Room. Annika knew she was in the clear though -- she just had to make sure the Doctor could spell autoerotic asphyxiation on the autopsy report.

*****

Seven entered her quarters -- her new quarters, formerly Janeway's, which she had commandeered in a "grief-stricken fit". She wondered briefly if the land of "Hollywood," of which Paris had been so fond, still existed on Earth. Her performance these past weeks had surely been worthy of many laurels and awards, not the least of which would be the fabulous TV Guide awards.

She was a really, really great actress.

"Darling, what took you so long?" The sultry voice from the bedroom broke her from her musings.

"I have reclaimed something that is rightfully yours," Seven said. She, in truth, hated that pansy name Annika -- but it was a good idea to say she wanted to change it. Keeping up appearances and all that.

"Seven, Seven, my dear -- you shouldn't have." Kathryn Janeway emerged, looking spectacular in a sleek, black catsuit -- honestly, the former captain used to make herself look frumpy for the good of the crew, and it was certainly a good idea. That body under that uniform would have been illegal in many galaxies. "The fact that you were able to fake my death and create such a perfect holographic corpse to space is enough for me, gorgeous."

"May I put it on you?" Seven asked, slinking up to Janeway, holding the pip in her hand.

"Maybe later," Janeway said, pulling the Borg down for a kiss that no wimpy alien would ever DARE betray. "I'm not planning on wearing anything for too long."

Seven grinned as Janeway clamped onto her throat, thinking that the work she had planned for the evening could be postponed -- Chakotay's quarters would still be there tomorrow, and that wall would be pretty easy to take down.

THE END