Summary: Seven and Chakotay are trapped alone on a planet together.  No monkeys.  One gratuitous volleyball reference, though.

In response to Christina's challenge and the rumoured C/7 episodes.  Contains potential spoilers, or at least, reference to spoilers, and some vague predictions about Janeway post-Workforce.  I also threw in the volleyball, for Christine.  This will almost certainly be jossed within a couple of weeks.

Voyager, it's characters and any out-of-the-blue relationships between them are the property of Paramount.

"Dinner, caveman style."

Seven looked up from the tricorder she was reconfiguring. The flickering light softened Seven's features and disguised the grime on her face, but didn't hide her distasteful expression.

"It is animal matter," she said.

Chakotay sighed.  "Look, I'm not thrilled with it, either.  And I try to avoid *replicated* meat.  But it's hot and it's food and—"

"It is acceptable.  I will adapt."  She placed a small piece in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.  "It is well prepared," she said finally.  She added, slightly awkwardly, "thankyou."

He looked up in surprise.  "You're welcome."

"The Doctor has told me that – aid or – assistance should be acknowledged and returned if possible."

"Seven—"

"When we return to Voyager, I will prepare you a meal."

"That's not necessary."

She frowned, and suddenly looked surprisingly young.  "If I were the Captain – would you refuse?"

He laughed.  "Believe me, the Captain wouldn't offer to cook for anyone, under any circumstances.  It's better that way."

"Commander.  I would be – pleased to share a meal with you."  She indicated the fire, the wreckage from the shuttle, the animal carcass.  "This is – not how I imagined this meal."

Chakotay wanted to ask why she had imagined dining him, but there was an uncharacteristic vulnerability in her face which stopped him.

"I'd be pleased to have dinner with you, Seven," he said.  They'd never spent much time together after all, and it would make a nice change from burnt pot roasts or one of Neelix's concoctions.  He'd certainly been seeing a lot more of Neelix in the last few weeks.  The Captain had been slightly withdrawn since returning to Voyager.  Speaking of withdrawals…  "Have you been okay lately, Seven?" he asked.  "You've seemed a touch off-colour in the last few weeks."

"'Off-colour?'"

"Not up to your usual standard of efficiency."  He'd meant to be lighthearted, but she looked upset.

"I apologise. I didn't think anyone would notice."

"Well, that's the virtue of being first officer.  Sooner or later, I hear everything.  Such as the astrometrics specialist spending several shifts in the holodeck."

"Commander—"

"You don't have to explain, Seven.  Just don't make it a habit.  Lord knows we go stir-crazy out here, but your duties are a higher priority than whatever holonovel you found."

"Yes sir."

Chakotay watched her for a moment.  He'd never expected to be lecturing Seven of Nine as if she were an ensign – or Tom Paris.  Normally he would have let the Captain deal with it, as he had before when Seven adopted the 'regulations are irrelevant' attitude, but the Captain was in one of her unpredictable funks.

"Come on," he said.  "We should get some sleep.  We'll have an early start tomorrow."

"Yes, Commander."

The air had cooled rapidly over the last few hours. Chakotay could see Seven's breath turning to mist as she breathed.  She was curled into an uncomfortable-looking ball.  Chakotay watched her for a few minutes, wondering whether she would be the one to make the obvious suggestion.

When she said nothing, he drew himself up and leaned on his elbow.  "Come here, Seven."

She looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise.   "Commander?"

"You're obviously freezing.  Come here, we'll be warmer."  She didn't move.  "Seven.  I don't bite."

Her lips curled in what he could have sworn was a smile, and she joined him.  They burrowed together – Chakotay's mind slid away from the word 'snuggled' – and settled down again.  Chakotay found himself rubbing Seven's arms.  He could feel the goosebumps under the thin material of her suit.  Unconsciously, his fingers began to trace the outline of an implant on her upper arm.

"Commander?"

Abruptly, Chakotay realised he was petting a – well, not a junior officer, but a woman under his authority.  "Sorry." He made to move his hands, and then realised his options were pretty limited.  Seven's bicep was almost certainly a better place for his hands than her waist, or hips, or—

Not a good line of thought at all.

Seven turned so that she was facing him.  "Do you find me attractive?"

"No!  Um … well, a little, but…" There was an unhappy, confused look in Seven's eyes. He decided to cut his losses.  "Why are you asking?"

"You are one of the only men on Voyager who does not alter their behaviour in my presence. Most men exhibit elevated hormone levels, although most changes are subtle enough that no one would notice. At a biochemical level, you appear indifferent to me."

"Ah."

"You rarely spend time with me.  You are friendly when we work together, but you rarely seek my company out."  She frowned, obviously having trouble choosing her words.  "I was wondering if you – liked me."

"Right."  Chakotay was abruptly reminded of junior high school, and the painful process of finding barriers between friendships and sexual attractions, and the even worse experience of learning when sexual activity was appropriate.  Defining parameters.  Hah.  "And, um, how long have you been monitoring the hormonal states of the men on Voyager?"

"I did so for several weeks approximately two years ago.  I was studying humanoid sexuality.  I ceased when Captain Janeway told me I was invading the crew's privacy.  She recommended practical experimentation instead."

Chakotay decided not to go there, although he was fairly sure the Captain hadn't used those *exact* words.

"My data is out of date," Seven added.  "I apologise if it is inaccurate."

"That's okay.  I think."  Chakotay decided to ignore their situation and treat this as if any other crewmember were having problems.  "And – how did the practical experimentation go?"  Damn it, he hadn't signed up for this job to play guidance counselor with a hormonal ex-Borg.

Even if she did have the most enormous eyes he'd ever seen.

"My attempts at dating were unsuccessful.  I decided to abandon the endeavor."

"It didn't seem particularly abandoned tonight—" Chakotay finally put two and two together and came up with something close to four.  "The holodeck.  You were—"

"Expanding my understanding of human sexuality."

He suppressed the temptation to ask if she'd used the Fair Haven program, and if she'd asked the Captain's permission first.  He didn't think she'd appreciate his sense of humour at this moment.

"And now…?" he asked.

Seven frowned.  "I had thought that applying my experience with you in person—" Nope.  Not the Fair Haven program at all. Kathryn was going to *kill* him when she heard about this – "would be a simple process.  But I am – uncomfortable.  I found myself – afraid that you would reject me.  That you are not interested in me."

"It's not that you're not attractive, Seven. It's not that I don't like you – I do.  It's just…" Chakotay tried to gather his thoughts.  "You came on board Voyager at a bad time.  The Captain and I were having problems, and your presence came to symbolise everything that was wrong that year.  And you were – are – very much the Captain's protégé.  Almost a surrogate child.  I guess I placed you in the same mental category as Naomi, or Kes.  Untouchable."

"I see.  You see me as having come between you and the Captain."

"It wasn't a conscious choice, Seven.  I hadn't even thought about it until now."

"I am not a child, Commander."

"I realise that, Seven.  I'm sorry."

She rolled over, snuggling – there was no point in resisting the idea anymore – against him.  Chakotay paused for a moment, and then wrapped an arm around her waist and went to sleep.

***

"Captain?"

Kathryn looked up from Chakotay's report.  "Yes, Seven?"

"What is the nature of your relationship with Commander Chakotay?"

Kathryn's eyes widened.  "I beg your pardon?"

"Are you intimately involved with the Commander?"

Kathryn took a sip of coffee to delay answering.  "Not sexually," she said finally.

"Do you wish to have a sexual relationship with the Commander?"

Kathryn took a deep breath.  "This is none of your business, Seven."

"But it is the Commander's business, Captain."

Kathryn had the sudden suspicion that Seven wanted to make Chakotay's business her own.  There had been an odd look in his eye since the two of them had been rescued from that planet.  There had been rumours, but the same rumours emerged whenever *anyone* -- Tom and Harry, Tuvok and Neelix, B'Elannaa and Seven – were alone together for more than a few hours.  Hell, Kathryn suspected that the rumours would emerge if she were stuck on a planet with a *volleyball*.

But … there had been something about Seven, too.  Something about her face, both terrified and excited.  She had masked it well, but Kathryn had noticed.

They probably wouldn’t be home for years.  Decades.  What right did she have to keep Chakotay hanging on the promise of a relationship she had almost no intention of pursuing?

"No," she said finally.

Seven relaxed.  "Thankyou, Captain."  She left.

Thoughtfully, Kathryn tapped her commbadge.  "Janeway to Chakotay."

"Chakotay here."

"How'd you like to join me for dinner tonight?  I could burn a pot roast for you."  There was a long silence.  "Chakotay?"

"I actually have plans for tonight.  If I'd known you'd ask—"

"No.  That's fine."  She paused.  "I understand."

"Captain?"

"Janeway out."

END

(Now, just sit back and watch the outraged feedback roll in)

Questions, comments, chocolate, Talaxian streakers, volleyballs: elizabeth_barr@yahoo.com.au

Copyright © 2001 Elizabeth M Barr

Star Trek ® is a registered trademark of Paramount Pictures registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  Star Trek: Voyager is a trademark of Paramount Pictures.  No copyright infringement is intended by this website or its content.  No profit is derived from this website or its content.