NEW: PLOTS [R] (VOY, J/C) 1/2
Christina (CWilson980@aol.com)
Emily (Emeyer5650@aol.com)
Jackee (Jackeec@aol.com)
VOY: PLOTS
New: 1/2
R
J/C P/T
Summary: The crew decides to help the relationship between the Captain and Commander along. But somehow holodeck programs are merging...creating and interesting evening.
Disclaimer: Paramount owns the ship, the humans...But we hear there may be hope anyway...
Warning: There is some nudity and sexual situations. (Not enough to warrant a higher rating)
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Plots:
Kathryn Janeway was deep in her reading. B'Elanna had been experimenting with several ideas to create new photon torpedoes. The Captain was looking at the preliminary results. Two of the ideas had potential, though the third one would be easier to construct with materials they had on board. She entered some data into the computer and watched intensely as the answer appeared. *Yes,* she thought, *B'Elanna definitely has the right idea.* She'd scheduled a meeting with the young engineer for tomorrow morning. Janeway sighed, Tom had a new holodeck program and the *grand-opening* was tonight. She hoped it was an improvement over the resort.
She'd just started to reread the section on the comparison of the three prototypes, when the doorchimes to her ready room sounded. "Enter."
"Good afternoon, Captain," Kes said as she moved to stand by the desk.
"Afternoon." Janeway still hadn't adjusted to Kes's new hairstyle. "How can I help you?"
Kes smiled. "Well, it's an interesting problem, I don't know how much I should get involved with it."
Janeway quirked an eyebrow, as Kes continued. "Actually its a possible personnel problem."
The Captain looked up, "Yes?"
Kes shook her head, "Nothing bad. It's just that there are two people on this ship, who are in love..."
Kathryn laughed, "There's been a lot of that recently...Two marriages and one pregnancy to be exact."
Kes laughed too. "Yes, it's wonderful. But these two have not acted on their feelings."
"I see...Well there isn't much anybody can do..."
"You see Captain, they work in the same department."
"Yes that can be difficult. But if they truly want to, they will work things out..."
"Actually, that is not problem. It's that I've heard others in their department are plotting to bring them together."
Kathryn laughed again. "Playing matchmaker. So this department doesn't have any problem with this relationship..." She was thinking about B'Elanna's photon torpedoes.
"No, neither..." Kes didn't finish. "I was wondering if I should warn the couple that there is a plot..."
Kathryn shook her head, "No, I wouldn't. Maybe if they realized that the department is in favor, they will decide to work things out."
"Thanks Captain." Kes couldn't stop the wide smile that appeared on her face. Fortunately the Captain seemed distracted by the reports. "See you tonight?"
"Yes twenty hundred at holodeck two."
It was all Kes could do not to laugh out right. B'Elanna's analysis of the photon torpedo prototypes were definitely a good distraction. She made it out the door and winked at Tom, who just nodded his head.
Chakotay wondered what was going on, he looked at Kes, then Tom. The young pilot looked guilty of something--but then Tom always looked guilty. He wondered what Tom was plotting and how had he gotten Kes involved.
****
Chakotay continued to wonder at the undercurrents that wafted around the bridge. He didn't miss the look that passed between Tom and Harry when Kathryn came out of her ready room. Nor the fact that Tom had gotten five personal messages at his station in the last 2 hours of the shift. He'd almost chalked it up to pre-opening jitters for his new program, but that wouldn't explain Kes's or Kim's involvement, nor whomever was sending personal messages.
He was about to ask Tom about it when his station beeped, alerting him that he had personal mail. Unable to immediately recognize the routing, he keyed in his code. It was from Kes. She was requesting an emergency meeting with him. She asked that he keep it confidential for the moment.
He frowned at that. Kes's request coupled with the behavior of the bridge crew made him more than a little curious. Turning to the Captain, he found her already turned toward him.
"What is it, Commander?" she asked.
"A crew member has requested a meeting. Permission to leave the bridge?"
"Permission granted. Go ahead, Commander."
~~
Chakotay entered the mess hall to the sound of Talaxian singing spilling from the kitchen area. He walked further into the room in search of the tiny Ocampa. The less time he spent in the company of Neelix's singing the better. And what was that smell?
"Oh, there you are," Kes smiled as she came out of the kitchen carrying a basket of oddly shaped fruits. "I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, Commander. But I have a favor to ask." Her eyes strayed to the bundle in her arms, and then returned to his.
"Favor?" Chakotay grinned, then glanced at the fruit wondering what she'd found so interesting there. As far as he could tell they were ordinary fruit; not even a leola root in the bunch. Shrugging it off, he listened as she spoke, feeling sure that he was about to find out more about Paris' little scheme.
"I've been helping Tom Paris with the new holo-program," Kes was saying as she glanced again at the bundle in her arms.
"Is everything all right?" he asked. Kes was behaving a bit strangely.
"Everything is fine. It's just that Tom wants to do something extra special for the Captain." Again a look at her fruit.
"Okay," Chakotay prompted her to continue.
"We need you to have the Captain in the holodeck at precisely 1945 hours," she went on with an innocent smile. "That way we can set up the surprise."
Chakotay nodded and returned her smile. "I'd be happy to help with the surprise. What does Tom have planned?"
"It's--" Kes began.
"Torres to Chakotay."
"Chakotay here. What is it B'Elanna?"
****
"Sir, there's a problem down here that I think needs your attention."
"Kes, I'll get back to you later..." He tapped his comm-badge, "I'm on my way, Lieutenant."
Kes reached her willowy arm out after him, "Wait, you forgot the..." But he was already out the door, "Fruit..." her voice trailed off in disappointment.
She stood looking at the door after him, and then turned and brought the basket back to the kitchen area, setting it down on the counter. Her dejection was evident on her face. "What is it...Kes? Did the commander not like his basket? See, I told you we should have put some Leola root in it."
"It's not that Neelix. He got called away to engineering before I could give it to him. I don't see how I'm ever going to..."
"You don't see how you're ever going to what?"
"Nothing...just thinking out loud..." Neelix's penchant for gossip was second only to Tom's, the only difference being that Tom could keep a secret. The conspirators had all agreed that for the plan to work, the less Neelix knew, the better. She was just going to have to leave the fruit on the holodeck and hope that Chakotay remembered to have the Captain there at 1945.
~~
That was going to be difficult. B'Elanna, at the captain's request, had begun to test mock-ups of the different photon torpedo designs. The third, had a very unexpected result.
"I've tried it five times," she explained, excitedly. The captain and commander were looking over her shoulder at the diagrams on the computer terminal, "And the result has been consistent. Detonating a torpedo with this velocity, and this magnitude, using the spent warp plasma as a catalyst would, according to the computer, cause an artificial worm hole, to appear."
Janeway remained skeptical; after all that the crew had been through, she could not allow herself to get her hopes up. "Lieutenant, how are you going to control this? Where does it lead? How large is it? How stable?"
"Captain, this is a chance. Our best chance yet of getting home since the array was destroyed. We, I, have to follow through with this."
"Permission granted," the captain said, "Keep us informed." She left, engineering. Chakotay followed her.
"Kathryn, what is it. This is a chance to get home, and you don't seem at all excited about it."
"I don't know...it's just...I don't know."
"Well maybe we can talk about it later..." he suggested calmly. "I thought we could go together to the premier of Tom's holoprogram. If it's okay I'll pick you up at 1930."
****
Tom looked at B'Elanna and winked as he sat down beside her. He looked at his tray. "I haven't decided if Neelix's cooking is getting better, or if my taste buds have been murdered."
"I don't know. I always thought his cooking was all right." She smiled at him. "So are we set."
"Yep," he said between mouthfuls of a stringy brownish-red vegetable dish. "This isn't bad. Your timing is impeccable. Is this wormhole hypothesis real?"
"As real as it gets. I have to figure out how to control where it opens. The computer can't handle that. I'm hoping I can convince the Captain to let me make couple of test-models to try it."
"I'm sure she'll let you." He smiled at her. "She didn't seem particularly excited when she returned to the bridge."
"I noticed. She seemed distracted." B'Elanna sighed then smiled. "I'm sure the rumors are flying."
Tom grinned. "Oh yes. You want me to run rumor control?"
B'Elanna laughed. "This isn't a sure thing--for all I know the worm holes all end next to a Vidiian ship. And tonight?"
"All set. Kes didn't give the Commander the fruit. I've left it in the holodeck."
She nodded her head toward the door. Tom looked up an noticed that the Captain had entered and sat in the back with her lunch and coffee.
B'Elanna stood. "See you tonight?"
"Wouldn't miss this for the world. 1800 hours. Harry said he was going to be a few minutes late."
"Until later."
****
"Computer, locate Lt. Paris," Chakotay ordered softly. He'd been trying to contact Kes to find out more about the surprise that Tom was planning for the Captain, but she hadn't answered her commlink. When he'd requested her precise location, he'd learned that she was in the shower. That had been thirty minutes ago and she was still in the shower. All he could figure was that she must be awfully clean.
"Lt. Paris is on holodeck 2," the computer replied. Just as he'd thought. He continued in the direction of the holodeck.
~~
"B'Elanna, he's coming this way!" Kes called toward the half Klingon who was working furiously at a control panel.
"I'm on it!" B'Elanna bit out, switching from the holo-program to the internal sensors as she tried to find out just why the commander was coming to the holodeck so soon.
"Where am I supposed to be again?" Kes questioned.
"The shower," Tom appeared from behind a second panel. "So he can't get anymore information out of you about the "little surprise" we're planning."
"Oh. Right," Kes giggled. She was having the time of her life.
"Got it!" B'Elanna exclaimed. "He just asked the computer for your location, Tom. I'm supposed to be in the shower, too. Couldn't you think of anything more creative?"
"Sorry," Tom grinned wickedly. "What can I say? Freud knew his stuff."
"Who's Freud?" Kes piped in.
"No time to discuss that," B'Elanna threw an accusing look at Tom. "We've gotta get out of her before Chakotay arrives."
****
"Gimme a boost," Tom responded.
"What?!" the half-Klingon was incredulous.
"Look," he said, "there's no way we're gonna be out of here in time. We're going to have to use the Jeffries tubes" He looked at her challengingly, "Unless you have a better idea."
With a growl that was poorly disguised as a grunt, she effortlessly lifted Tom in the air until he was able to remove an access panel, and haul first Kes and then B'Elanna into the narrow crawl space with him. He managed to slide the panel into place just as Chakotay walked through the doors.
He looked around the empty room--empty except for the criss- crossing network of optical data fibers. *I could have sworn the computer told me that Tom was here. I'm either getting delusional or paranoid in my old age.* "Computer," he asked. "Location of Tom Paris."
"Lieutenant Paris is currently in Lieutenant Torres' shower," the helpful voice told him.
He chuckled, *the rumors are true.* He saw no point in interrupting the couple, and looked back at the holomatrix. "Computer, run Lieutenant Paris' most recent program." He figured there was no harm in satisfying his curiosity a mere few hours ahead of the grand premier.
Immediately three skull faced warriors brandishing lethal looking blades rushed at him, he ducked and breathlessly ordered the computer to end the program immediately. Either Tom was really touchy about people accessing his creations early, or he'd saved the program under a different name. Chakotay figured with the air of subterfuge Tom had been displaying lately, that either could be true.
Within the cramped Jeffries tube Tom carefully held the tricorder. "What's he doing now?" Kes asked.
"He's trying to get into the program," Tom said.
"I hope you remembered save the file under a different name," B'Elanna snapped, still touchy about where Tom had chosen to tell the computer to locate him.
"Of course I did," he said, arrogantly, "I saved it as one of Harry's holo-orchestras. Would you relax?"
"I'll relax," she snapped, "When we get out of here, and I can get back to engineering, and work on the worm-holes."
"Of course," he said dryly, "Worm holes that have a one-in-a-million chance of actually returning us to the alpha quadrant are so much more important than the everlasting happiness of Chakotay and the Captain."
****
Kathryn looked at the report that B'Elanna had handed her two hours ago. Despite her initial misgivings about the whole idea, she had to admit to being intrigued. *Home,* she thought. *It would be nice...no wonderful to see my family.* She had to laugh. "I wonder if Phoebe ever married that sculptor from Taos?" She asked no one in particular. She smiled. Home.
Suddenly, she glanced up. "Computer the time?"
"The time is eighteen thirty hours."
She sighed with relief, she still had time before Chakotay showed up. She forced herself away from the reports and made her way to the bathroom. She had time to enjoy a bath.
She watched the water swirl around her tub as it filled. Her thoughts trailing back to the worm-hole...then to another bathtub. She smiled as she removed her clothes and stepped into the tub. She laughed quietly as she remembered the tub he had built for her...
Her mind drifted off as she lay there. Wormholes and bathtubs.
She woke when the water had chilled enough to no longer be comfortable. *Damn.* She stepped out and dried herself quickly, she ran into her room and quickly dressed as she asked the computer the time. She had fifteen minutes.
****
Chakotay glanced at his chrono. 1915. He was due at the Captain's quarters in fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes and he still didn't have any idea what this 'surprise' was supposed to be. And although he liked the idea, he felt decidedly put out that he'd been dragged in to help set it up but hadn't been made privy to the details.
He decided to try one more time to get some information. Over the past half-hour Tom had been in B'Elanna's shower, B'Elanna had been in Tom's shower, and Kes had managed to get out of her shower, only to end up in Ensign Wildman's shower. He could think of one other person to ask for information.
"Computer, precise location of Ensign Kim." It was time to cut to the chase.
"Ensign Kim is in Kes's shower," was the impersonal reply.
What?! Something strange was going on around here.
"Computer, precise location of Captain Janeway."
"Captain Janeway is bathing."
****
*So she's in on it too.* He really wasn't that surprised. He was used to being 'out of the know.' However, given the disastrous results of the last time Kathryn had tried to keep a secret from him, he would have thought that she would keep him better informed.
1917, he still had thirteen minutes to go. He decided to make his way to her quarters, and hope she was there. He entered the turbolift, wondering what could be so important that Kathryn couldn't tell him. It was 1925 by the time he got to her quarters, *Kathryn won't mind if I'm five minutes early.* He rang her door chime.
"Come on in," her voice sounded a little terse. He walked in, and was stunned. She had a towel around her head, and was dressed in a terry cloth robe. "Oh," she looked at him, a little startled, "You're early."
"Only five minutes; I can come back if you'd like." He was a bit disconcerted, *she had been in the bathtub.*
"No; have a seat. I'll be right out." He sat on her couch and waited, drumming his fingers on the table--crossing and uncrossing his legs. He couldn't understand his nervousness. It was only Kathryn.
She came out in four minutes, her hair was piled on her head in loose waves. She wore a loose coral dress, and brown leather sandals. He had to suck in his breath, "You look gorgeous."
"You're not so bad yourself, you know." He was wearing a green tunic, and dark brown leggings that accentuated the muscles in his legs.
"Well," he gestured in the direction of the door, "Shall we."
****
Tom looked at the holodeck, then at Harry. "Perfect."
Harry shouted, "They've left her quarters."
"Early, OK, but we're ready. Computer insert holocharacters program Paris 23. Run for five minutes after the Captain and Commander enter. Engage."
Immediately the holodeck was full of members of the crew in casual dress, milling around and chatting. "Let's get out of here."
Kathryn looked at Chakotay and smiled. "Seems we weren't the first to arrive, after all." They could here the chattering in the holodeck in the hallway. "Shall we."
The doors opened and they stepped into a meadow surrounded by tall redwoods. The air was warm with a gentle breeze. The crowd quieted as they entered, several came up and greeted them. The serving table was over under a bright red and white canopy.
They both examined the food. "This is curious," Janeway said as she picked up a strangely shaped fruit.
"Kes had some earlier." He watched as she took a bite, the magenta juices spilling over her lips, down her chin. He looked away--to grab a napkin, but also because he was tempted to lean over and lick the juices from her face.
He handed her the napkin. "How is it."
"Fabulous." She handed him the fruit as she wiped her chin. "I wonder where Kes found them."
"Olvart Prime. We did pick up a lot of new plants."
"Possibly. I wonder why..." She looked around quickly. "Where did everybody go?"
****
"Hmmm?" Chakotay looked up and around, his mouth still full of fruit.
The people weren't the only things vanishing. The relaxed atmosphere of the little patio was transforming. Most of the chairs and tables were being replaced by plants. And the background noises were being transformed to other more primal utterances.
"Computer, freeze program," Janeway announced, standing and moving toward where the arch had been.
There wasn't so much as a chirp of acknowledgment from the computer. Instead, a giant spray of pink blossoms burst forth almost in mockery.
"End program," Chakotay ordered, staring around at the nouveau wild surroundings. The only items that remained amidst the tropical intrusion was one table, two chairs and the fruit. Suddenly the table itself began to morph and transform. It's final shape was a small rowboat. The chairs became oars, and the fruit basket sat neatly in it's center.
Both Kathryn and Chakotay came to the same conclusion at once. But neither was able to move before the ground beneath their feet transformed to a very wet, very cool, very rough river.
Chakotay being closest, made it to the boat first. But the little boat rocked and shimmied and all around fought his efforts to climb inside. At first he'd felt the river bed beneath his boots, but now that assurance was gone. "Kathryn!" he called, as he tried to get a better hold on the boat, doggie paddle and see how Kathryn was faring. A flash of blue and a portion of his name being yelled was the only warning he got before a body barreled into him knocking him away from the boat and into the river, now turned rapids. Captain and Commander were being dragged wildly downstream.
They grabbed frantically for one another amidst the wild torrent to no avail. The relentless current pulled them ever onward. They were hard pressed to remember this was the holodeck and not a desperate fight for survival.
After several minutes the waters began to noticeably calm. Soon both swam side by side toward a rocky shore. Breathless and exhausted they collapsed against the beach. Several of the fruits washed up onto the shore beside them. Chakotay began to laugh.
"What is it?" Kathryn gasped out, eyeing her first officer as if he'd gone a little batty.
"I just knew I had a bath coming in here somewhere."
****
She gave him a strange look, and eyed her surroundings suspiciously, waiting for them to change again. "The least our conspirators could have done would be to provide us with some towels," she commented, as she tried to wring the water out of her dress and hair.
At her words two fluffy white cotton towels appeared on the rocks next to them. "This is nice," she handed one to Chakotay, wrapping her wet tresses in her own, "and a change of clothing."
She laughed at what appeared, "Well Chakotay, it looks as if whoever is behind this has a slightly different taste in clothing than we do." She held up what she only assumed was supposed to be a dress, very carefully placed strips of material, led to a rather gauzy skirt. His own outfit, had even less material.
Chakotay whistled, "I think I might like to see the captain in this new *uniform.*"
"Only if you wear yours too, Commander."
"It's a deal."
Chakotay eyed her change of clothing appreciatively. "I suggest we not make these uniforms standard wear, no one would get any work done."
"I agree," Kathryn was getting to see more of her second in command than she had before, and she was enjoying the view. She sighed audibly, and turned around, fighting her impulses.
****
"We are the victims of a very carefully planned conspiracy," Chakotay said with a laugh as he turned away from her. The costume he was wearing didn't hide much, especially not his reaction to the very revealing dress that she was now wearing.
"Conspiracy..." She closed her eyes. "Kes tried to warn me..."
He laughed. "This afternoon. I was wondering what was going on."
"B'Elanna timed her reports well..." She laughed. "I guess we're stuck here. We might as well enjoy ourselves." She turned bright red at the double entendre.
He smiled. "Shall we..." He held out his hand.
"What? Shall we?" A moment of panic as she tried to bury the thoughts that were racing through her mind.
"A walk." A wicked grin lit his face. "What did you think I meant???"
"Nothing, a walk sounds fine. Let's find out what this program is all about..." She started walking toward a small hill. He quickly took off after her.
~~
B'Elanna looked at the data streaming across her screen. "Hmm. Curious." She scrolled back a couple of pages and looked at the results. "The wormhole's underlying sub-matrix fails to completely form..."
Chirip. Tom's voice asked, "B'Elanna you said you would return in fifteen minutes, it's been forty-five."
****
Tom, standing outside of holodeck 1, grinned wickedly at B'Elanna's less-than-happy response. If anyone needed a little R&R almost as much as the Captain and the Commander, it was B'Elanna. Lately it'd been a little like pulling teeth to get her out of engineering. And even when they'd been conspiring, her mind had been half on the wormhole.
But now that plan A was in action, it was time for plan B. His wicked grin deepened as he thought of the white-water rafting program he'd written for his and B'Elanna's "date" that evening. He'd even managed to do it secretly while she was programming a romantic evening for the Captain and Commander.
He frowned as he glanced at his chrono. Five minutes had passed since he'd last contacted the half-Klingon. "B'Elanna," he called impatiently into his commlink. He winced at the reply. He knew more than the average star fleet officer about Klingon swear words.
~~
B'Elanna rounded the corner with a huff. "All right, Paris, I'm here. Let's get this over with."
"B'Elanna, I'm hurt," Tom's cried in feigned shock. So what if their "date" was merely asking for her opinion on a new program. If he had his way, he'd get her to relax for far longer than a few minutes.
B'Elanna simply grunted. "Just load the program."
"As you wish, Milady," Tom winked. Then turning to the console. "Computer, load Paris WW3 sub A"
The were several moments followed by computer chirps as Tom waited with growing confusion. "Cannot comply," was the emotionless response.
"Well, why not?!" Tom demanded.
"Paris WW3 has caused a file crosslink in holomatrix sections 7 through 14."
The Klingon word B'Elanna next used was a new one on Tom.
****
"So my program is running in the holodeck Captain Janeway and Commander are in?"
"Affirmative."
"Good one Flyboy, lemme know when you get all the bugs worked out; I've got more important stuff to do right now, like getting us home." B'Elanna stormed off, leaving a very frustrated Tom caught between watching her retreating form, and trying to determine how to rescue the captain and commander without giving himself away.
~~
They sat on the edge of a cliff watching a dazzling sunset. Kathryn rested her head comfortably on Chakotay's shoulder, and taking that as a cue, Chakotay wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her a little closer.
Suddenly they cliff gave way, and the pair found themselves once again being buffeted by fierce waters. "KAAATHRYNNNN!" Chakotay looked for her as he struggled to keep his head above water. He saw her, floating lifelessly with the current.
He fought against the pull of the water to reach her and dragged her limp form ashore, and turned it into a recovery position. She coughed and spit out a mouthful of water, "this is getting rather old," she groaned as she sat up.
~~
Tom Paris, was beginning to get very worried.
****
Kathryn looked at Chakotay who was looking at her with an incredible smile, she blushed and looked down. And blushed some more. The clothing she was wearing had not been designed for running rapids the hard way. She looked around quickly for something to cover herself with, but apart from some sand and rocks there was nothing. She fussed with the remnants of the bodice to try to cover her breasts.
He stood and walked off, realizing the situation (no matter how much he was enjoying the view) was extremely embarrassing for her. He listened to her order the computer to replicate another dress, then her *damn* when it didn't comply.
He turned and looked at her. "I'd relinquish part of what I'm wearing, but..." He didn't need to finish, his costume was fairly tattered too.
~~
B'Elanna typed in a few commands, looked at the results. Typed some more. "Hell," followed by several Klingon expletives. She looked at the earlier results, then at the most recent. The worm-hole showed definite signs of turbulence in her most recent analysis. It was fluid with a great deal of disturbances--whirlpools. She'd never seen a wormhole behave like that...it was more like...
She hit her comm-badge hard, "Torres to Paris!" Her voice carried a definite edge.
~~
Tom was at the computer trying every conceivable override protocol to access the holodeck. He was about to contact Tuvok when B'Elanna's angry voice filled the corridor.
"Paris, was that program of yours a river of some sort?"
"Yes..." He was cut off by a string of Klingonese he couldn't translate, but didn't need to.
****
"Hey, It's not my fault that you were playing with your wormhole program while you were supposed to be doing the holo program for the Captain and Chakotay!" Tom fumed at the angry, pacing half-Klingon.
"Don't put this all on me!" B'Elanna turned on him. "How was I to know you were working on YOUR program when your were SUPPOSED to be working on the sub-routine to the Captain's program!!"
"I knew," Kes spoke gently, a look of concern marring her pixie-ish features.
Tom and B'Elanna turned shocked eyes on the tiny Ocampa, speechless.
"Is there any reason why I should have said anything?" The emotions she'd felt emanating off her friends were very disturbing.
She listened as Tom broke the news concerning Chakotay and Janeway. She didn't miss the fact that more than a hint of accusation peppered his words, nor the fact that B'Elanna's opinion on the matter tended to differ. Determined not to be drawn into the disagreement, she stepped around the arguing pair toward the open control panel.
The argument behind her died down. "What are you doing?" B'Elanna questioned.
"Trying to save the Captain and Commander," she answered over a shoulder, continuing to contemplate the unfamiliar controls. A small smile played over her lips as she felt the expected response. The Captain and the Commander were in good hands.
****
"Kes, be realistic for a minute; you don't know the first thing about Engineering, or holodecks for that matter." If it had been anyone else, B'Elanna would have been harsher, but she always felt a bit protective of the young alien, who reminded her of her own human side.
Kes didn't see it that way though, and she felt defensive, "I didn't know anything about medicine when I came on board, but that didn't stop me from learning," she continued to manipulate the controls, attempting to understand their purpose and function as if the control panel, like the specimens in the doctor's lab, were an organic being.
"Kes, I'd be happy to teach you anything you want to know about Engineering later, but right now we're in a crisis, and it would be better if someone with experience and training were in control."
"Isn't it your trained and experienced self who go them into this mess in the first place, B'Ela?"
The Klingon spun around, "not without your help, Flyboy, and you better watch where you use that name!"
Kes went back to manipulating the controls, she knew she had a few more minutes before the bickering died down again.
She sensed that the captain and commander were not in any immediate danger, but she also sensed something else. A sense of anxiety and fear, it was directed both toward the holodeck, but also toward something internal, as if they were finally about to face what they had been denying for so long...
****
Kes smiled quietly. "Tom just make sure the safeties are restored. I don't think we need to do anything else." *At least not for them.*
Tom and B'Elanna stopped their bickering and looked at her. "Kes?" B'Elanna asked.
She shook her head. "I believe we should let the program run as originally planned. I've finished removing Tom's program, by the way." Kes grinned at her friends stunned faces. She didn't tell them she had gained access using her emergency medical authorization. She nearly laughed as Tom looked at what she had done. "Now, if you don't need me anymore, I still have some work in the garden to finish." She turned and left, laughing to herself.
B'Elanna looked at Tom who just grinned. "Never underestimate that kid..."
~~
Kathryn sat by the shore of the river facing away from Chakotay. This situation would be have been funny if it hadn't been her sitting there in an almost undressed state. She covered her mouth with her right hand as she started to laugh. She couldn't help herself. She bent over, trying to hide the fact she laughing hysterically.
Chakotay was watching her. He knew that he should walk away. Stop watching her. Try to find their original clothing. Do something. But he was worried that if he walked away now, the program might change yet again.
****
So he just stood there, indecisive. Then he noticed the slight trembling of her shoulders. He frowned. Were his eyes deceiving him? Surely she wasn't...she wouldn't...Taking a few steps closer, he reached a hesitant hand toward her bare shoulder.
"Kathryn," he called softly. "It'll be...," the choked little sound that escaped her throat tore at his heart. Kathryn Janeway was a strong woman, who had no qualms about looking death in the face. That was one of the many things he admired about her. But, now, here, after an exhausting day, nearly losing their lives in the rapids and now trapped on the holodeck, minus safeties and lacking in even dignified clothing, he could understand why she might feel the need to release some of her anxieties.
She was gulping now, her shoulders heaving. Coming to his knees beside her, he turned her in his arms to find one hand clasped over her mouth, and wetness streaming from her eyes.
The worried expression on Chakotay's face only added to her mirth. Wanting to ease his worries, she reached a hand out to his shoulder but only managed to collapse in his arms laughing uncontrollably.
Chakotay's shocked expression was quickly replaced as he too saw the humor of the situation. His arms tightened about her as they fell over in the sand laughing.
Just when their laughter had died down, and they lay spent upon the sand, Kathryn started giggling again. One of her arms was stuck beneath Chakotay's shoulder, and was threatening to loose circulation. "Lift up would you, Tarzan?"
"Tarzan?" Chakotay laughed, lifting a shoulder so she could remove her arm.
"You Tarzan, Me Janeway!" she said and burst again into helpless laughter.
Chakotay laughed too as the classic holo programs whose origins were said to reach back into the early 20th century, came to mind. Then the image of he and Kathryn swinging through the trees screaming the call of the wild, pushed him over the edge. He drew her tightly into his arms as they both convulsed with laughter.
As Chakotay slowly became aware of the near-naked body pressed to his equally near-naked body, all thoughts of humor vanished.
****
"Kathryn," he whispered and reached up to stroke her hair. Bending her face to his, he trailed butterfly kisses from her forehead to her lips. "Kathryn, my beautiful Kathryn."
She was trembling, the physical sensations threatening to overpower her. "Chakotay..." She rolled over and out of his embrace. "Let's talk about this."
He was on his feet, evidence of his arousal clearly present through the little bit of material that he was wearing. "Dammit Kathryn, what's there to talk about! It's clear you want this as much as I do!" Why can't you think with your heart instead of your head for once?"
She spoke with an almost Vulcan calm, "It would be so easy to just give in and do what we both want us to do, Chakotay, but we have to think beyond now. Because when those doors open, and we step outside. We go back to being captain and commander, and there's no way around it."
"Tell me Kathryn, exactly which StarFleet regulation is it that prohibits a relationship between the Captain and the First Officer?"
"There are extensive rules regarding fraternization..."
"StarFleet rules, about StarFleet officers: which certainly never anticipated that a Maquis commander would join forces with a StarFleet captain in order to find their way back from the Delta Quadrant. Don't you see that Kathryn, those rules don't apply to us any more?"
"I don't know..."
"And I'll tell you something else! When we get back to Federation territory they'll get over it! StarFleet managed to overlook an android second in command, and a relationship between the captain and his CMO--both on the same ship, I don't think they'll have too much trouble with this."
"But the crew..."
"Set this all up," he gestured with his hand. "I don't think there's anyone on the crew that would have a problem with this. So that leaves just one more question. Do you love me?"
"Do I love you?"
"Kathryn, the spirits know I love you, and would do anything for you--wait a lifetime if that's what it takes...Do you love me?"
He looked down at her gently. Waiting for an answer. Her face was awash with emotions. *Do I love him? What sort of a question was that anyway?* She'd never really thought about it. She couldn't deny the physical attraction, but *love*. She surprised herself by the answer, "Yes."
"Then what other argument so you have." He took her hands and pulled her to her feet.
"Just one last question: How did you learn so much about StarFleet policy?"
"I've been reading up on it these past couple of weeks."
****
It went against everything she had learned over the years, but she couldn't stop herself from looking into his dark eyes or stop her own smoldering passion from showing in hers.
Kathryn smiled slightly before his lips met hers, her question of *why,* dying on her lips. She didn't need to ask it as she let herself drown in the kiss. Her hands wandered up his bare chest to his face as she ran her fingers through his hair and along the lines of his tattoo.
His hands deftly removed the last tattered remnants of their clothing. Then moved to her back and pulled her even closer, leaving her no doubt of what his intentions were.
They both knelt on the ground, locked in their fiery embrace. She broke the kiss and looked at him. "Not here..." They both looked around. The setting had changed again. To a meadow surrounded by redwoods, not the barren shore of an angry river.
"Will here work..." He leaned over and kissed her neck below her ear, then nibbled his way down her neck. His hands stroked her back before moving to her breasts. She moaned softly as he moved his mouth lower...
~~
Tom glanced at B'Elanna who looked like she could murder a Targ. Tom smiled apologetically. "I suppose I can't convince..."
She pushed him against the wall and walked away. Not sure if she wanted to even look at worm hole.
Tom watched her until she rounded the corner, then followed her. Not sure if it was such a good idea...
****
B'Elanna heard Tom's footfalls as he followed her and quickened her pace.
Tom, taking in her sudden burst of speed, sped after her, wondering if he truly did have a deathwish. He slid into the turbolift just as the doors slid shut.
Dark hair flouncing, she turned angrily on him. "What do you think you're doing?" she ground out.
"I ruined your program," Tom murmured carefully, "I thought the least I could do was to help you..."
"I don't need your help! You've helped enough already!" she ground out, turning away.
"B'Elanna," Tom grabbed her arm, turning her back to face him. Her eyes, burning with Klingon fire stabbed into his. He could only gaze back, helplessly lost in their depths. And then he saw it.
Tom Paris prided himself on being a man who knew women. The look in B'Elanna's eyes told him that she was not immune to his charms; that she was as deeply affected as he. She was practically begging to be kissed.
He never saw the fist that came up to meet his jaw.
~~~
"...Yes..." Kathryn moaned. Neither heard the gentle chirp as the holodeck computer came back online, and the privacy lock engaged.
****
As the door to the turbolift slid open Tom landed unceremoniously on the door of the corridor. He stood up and rubbed his throbbing jaw,
"What the Hell was that?!"
"Don't tell me Tom Paris, man of the galaxy, doesn't know about Klingon mating rituals," B'Elanna cooed in his ear as she managed to deliver a round house kick to the back of his knee that caused him to land right back on the carpet.
"But you're only half Klingon?!"
"Then I'll go gentle on you," she promised as she picked him up and carried him away, slung over her shoulders.
~~
"What was that!" Kathryn pulled back, reluctantly from Chakotay and looked around.
"I didn't hear anything, I just hope that our conspirators have decided to leave us in peace for the time being."
"I still don't know whether to promote them or throw them in the brig for a week," she smiled coyly.
"Worry about that later," he said, as he delivered searing kisses along her jawline. Her response was lost...
*****
Kathryn Janeway lay still, instinctively she knew it would be soon to wake up...She started to sit up but his hand around her waist prevented her from moving. She smiled as she instead asked, "Computer what time is it?"
The feminine voice replied, "The time is zero five-thirty."
Kathryn sighed as she rolled over, "Wake-up."
"Hmmph." He pulled her close to him. "Good-morning." He started kissing her neck.
"Uhh. Chakotay, we're due on the bridge in one hour..."
"Plenty of time..." He continued kissing her.
She closed her eyes..."Chakotay..."
He sat up and looked at her, his eyes bright with promise. She kissed him. "I think we'll need some clothes."
He nodded in agreement. "Computer, end program." The familiar grid lines appeared. As well as the clothes they had originally worn the previous evening.
"A little wrinkled," he laughed as he tossed hers over. "No chance of maybe rescheduling our shift." He shrugged, "Since that's my job anyway I guess not."
She laughed as she finished dressing. My hair must be a mess. Gods, what will the crew think?" Her face grew serious.
"I somehow doubt that they will believe we spent the evening working on reports." He wrapped his arms about her. "Tom didn't plan this alone..."
"No, I guess he didn't..."
****
"Good morning, Ka-aptain," Chakotay said when he arrived on the bridge an hour later, barely managing to catch himself. He glanced toward the conn to see if Paris had caught the near slip, only to find the night shift officer still in place. He turned a raised brow in Kathryn's direction as he moved toward his position.
Kathryn returned his greeting and raised her brows in response to his unspoken question. She had no idea where Tom was, he should have been on the bridge 5 minutes earlier to relieve Lt. Haines. She'd give him 5 more minutes...
~~
When Tom came to the first thing he noticed was the big dark blur where his ceiling should have been. Next was the pain--not pain in a localized sense, but in an all encompassing I've-just-been-hit-by-a-ton-of-bricks sense. When his vision cleared he found himself face to face with a federation identification stamp...for a coffee table. That was different.
Grimacing, he turned his head to take in his surroundings. There beneath the coffee table with him was Voyager's chief engineer, snoring softly. Ever so carefully so as not to wake her, he attempted to scoot from underneath the table.
His movements, however caused her to stir. She wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him firmly to her. The primal yelp that escaped Tom's lips brought the half-Klingon from mostly asleep to full battle mode.
~~
Kathryn paced her ready room, gazing at her chrono once more. "Janeway to..." she spoke aloud, but was interrupted by the door chime. "Come," she called, hoping Tom was finally showing himself.
The bridge doors slid open to reveal the wickedly adorable grin of her first officer. "May I speak with you, Captain," his voice was formal, his expression, anything but.
She waved him in, not sure she trusted her voice with him looking at her that way. She moved around behind her desk, establishing their roles, as he stepped into the room. "I was just about to locate Tom Paris," she said after the doors slid shut.
"Maybe he jumped ship," Chakotay suggested, falling back into the familiar role as friend. This was what she needed at the moment.
"He may just wish he had," Kathryn suggested with a dangerous laugh, glad the he understood her position. The man's sensitivity and thoughtfulness endeared him to her all the more. She smiled a warm thank you before dropping into command mode.
"Janeway to Paris," she called. There was no reply. "Computer locate Tom Paris."
"Tom Paris is on deck three."
Kathryn turned a neutral gaze on his first officer as that answer had been of very little help. Crew quarters were on deck three. "Computer, please specify."
"Tom Paris is in B'Elanna Torres' quarters."
"They were in on this together," Chakotay said, a gleam in his eyes.
"It's really what they deserve," Kathryn laughed in agreement. "Janeway to Torres." There were several moments of silence before a breathless voice responded.
"B'Elanna, have you seen Lt. Paris?"
"Yes, Captain," she responded hesitantly.
"Can you tell me where he is," Kathryn pressed.
"I'd really rather not," B'Elanna hedged. Harried whispering ensued in the background, followed by a muffled shuffling sound.
"He's 20 minutes late for duty Lt. I think you'd better tell me what's going on."
"Hold on," B'Elanna murmured, resignedly.
After another shuffling sound a soft musical voice responded. "Captain, I'm afraid Lt. Paris can't speak at the moment."
"And why is that?" Kathryn wanted to know.
"Because he has suffered several fractures," the Ocampan softly responded, as if they were talking about the weather or table salt.
Kathryn frowned in worry, but Chakotay bit his lower lip to refrain from laughing out loud. "Why isn't he in sickbay?" she asked, gazing curiously at her first officer. Her confusion seemed to cause him to laugh even more.
"The Klingon leg armor is making it difficult to remove him from his current position."
Chakotay looked as if he would explode if he didn't let his laughter out soon. His mirth was infectious, Kathryn was beginning to see the hilarity of the situation.
"His current position?" she managed.
"Yes. Beneath B'Elanna's coffee table."
****
"Tell the lieutenant to get well soon. Oh and Kes, tell B'Elanna and him that Chakotay and I really enjoyed the holoprogram. Janeway out." She looked at her first officer, raised an eyebrow, and they both dissolved in giggles.
As soon as the pair were coherent, Chakotay spoke up, "You know we really can't punish them for this."
"I know, I just want to make them wonder for a while. Although the prospect is tempting, we can't let this become an every day occurrence."
"And just why is that." He snuck up behind her, circling her waste with his hands, and nibbling at her neck.
"Because," she removed one of his hands, "we'd never get any work come, and Tuvok would take over the ship and turn it into the ideal model of Vulcan efficiency."
"I don't have a problem with that," he said with a lecherous grin.
"Well I do; I've grown rather attached to Voyager."
She was interrupted by her comm-badge. "Captain this is the doctor. Tom Paris has several fractured ribs and a broken collar bone. I'm afraid he will not be able to report to duty for the rest of the week."
"That's fine doctor. Tell me, is he able to receive visitors. I've need to talk to him."
"That can be arranged when he regains consciousness; shall I tell him you're coming."
"Oh yes, please do."
***
Tom came to starring into the gorgeous face of...the Doctor. He tried to shake his head. B'Elanna--his last vision had been B'Elanna, hadn't it..."Kahless, I feel awful."
The Doctor snorted. "That is not surprising for a man who survived a night of lovemaking with a Klingon..."
Tom blushed. "What happened."
"Apparently Lieutenant Torres--there is no way to be tactful--was too enthusiastic."
Tom smiled as some of the memories came back. The Doctor groaned. "If this is to become a regular occurrence, I would like advance warning so that I may schedule my time accordingly."
Kes put her hand on the Doctor's shoulder. "Hello Tom, how are you feeling?" She asked kindly.
"Like I was run over by a Bolerian Rhino." He tried to sit up.
The Doctor placed both hands on his shoulders. "No you don't Lieutenant. It will be several more hours before the tissue regeneration is complete. And then you are on sick-leave the rest of the week." At Tom's smile, he added quickly, "And no strenuous activities. Lieutenant that's an order."
"Yes Doctor."
The Doctor satisfied with the young man's complacency turned and entered his office.
When he was gone, Tom looked at Kes and smiled, "Well?"
She smiled back. "I haven't heard a single rumor about them...You and B'Elanna are today's top story." Her smile grew wider at his look of disappointment. "The Captain did say thank-you." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "They spent the entire night in the holodeck."
Tom groaned in pain as he started to laugh.
***
His smile faded as the sickbay doors opened to reveal the unsmiling form of Kathryn Janeway. He glanced toward Kes nervously for support, but found she'd conveniently made herself scarce. He gulped as Janeway simply stood and stared down at him.
"What do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Paris?" She finally spoke softly.
He thought a moment about feigning ignorance, but thought the better of it. Opening his mouth he spilled the entire holodeck plot, including the aphrodisiac fruit. Several tense seconds passed as the Captain paced around his biobed, hands behind her back. Tom imagined she was concocting a plot of her own; one that would top the list of worse punishments ever handed out by StarFleet captains.
"Mr. Paris," she stopped pacing and looked him straight in the eye. "I have two words of advice for you." She paused again, seeming to gather her words.
Tom tensed as he awaited the verdict. How horrible a punishment could he be in for that could be described in two words? The brig? Neelix's helper? Air Lock?
"Goose grease." She concluded.
"Ma'am?" he breathed in confusion.
"I hear it's good for chafing..."
~~~
B'Elanna worked at her office terminal, having closed the door in order to avoid having to resist the urge to thrash snickering crewmembers. She tensed as the door chimed.
"Come!" she growled in a voice that would put off all but an intrepid few.
When the doors slid open to reveal Captain Janeway her voice immediately slid toward an apology. Janeway simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"How are your wormhole simulations progressing?" she asked, immediately slipping into a more professional mode. Picking on Tom was par for the course. B'Elanna, however, would have to be handled differently.
B'Elanna's face fell as she pointed toward the screen full of half garbled programming characters. "The program has been cross-linked with several holodeck programs, it's gonna take a couple of weeks just for me to clean up the programming and rebuild the file."
"A couple weeks?" Janeway questioned, "why so long?"
"With all the other maintenance rotations, and the warp core needs to be over..."
Janeway looked at her frustrated chief of engineering as she ticked off a formidable list of duties. A thought began to germinate in the back of her mind. "What you need is an assistant," she declared. "And I know just the person... "
***
"I don't know if you're insane or brilliant." Chakotay looked at Kathryn in wonder as she recounted her plan to have Tom and B'Elanna work together to solve the chaos created by B'Elanna's worm-hole testing problem and the subsequent computer error."
"It's worked fine so far," Kathryn said with the knowing smile one usually sees on a mother who has managed to coerce an errant child into doing something. "I think they both realize that I'm letting them off easily, all things considered."
"I don't know," Chakotay laughed, "I was ready to promote both of them."
Kathryn rose from behind her desk, and walked to the couch where Chakotay was sitting, planting herself decidedly in his lap, "Yes, but as Captain of this vessel I have to consider the well being of the entire crew, not just my own personal desires." She ran a hand down his chest, "however hard that may be."
"Ahh, the burdens of command..." Chakotay sighed, just as Tom Paris walked in unannounced.
"Lieutenant!" Chakotay stood at attention, dumping his captain unceremoniously on the floor.
"I...that is...you...B'Elanna...we're done...mistake...Permission to return at a more suitable time." he finally finished weakly.
"Permission granted. You and Lieutenant Torres can meet with us at 1400 hours. Dismissed."
~~~
"So you see," B'Elanna finished, "the computer was misreading the signals, and there is no wormhole. It was interference caused by the Ultra-high electro-magnetic frequencies of this particular torpedo design combined with the...um...unfortunate merging with the holodeck simulations."
"Will it still work as an offensive weapon?"
"Captain, if we can get the sensors to compensate for the frequency readings, it may possibly work better than the StarFleet issue torpedoes."
"Good work Lieutenants. Dismissed."
Chakotay turned to her after they left. "You're not disappointed?"
"No, in fact, I think I might just like spending the rest of my life here with you."
***
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