Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters and universe of Star Trek. TPTB keep promising, hinting about *romance* between my favorite two characters...But until they do--actually most likely even then--I will continue to play in their sandbox.
Warning: High mush factor.
Kathryn Janeway stared at the canyon wall and sighed. So, what if the place was rich in dilithium and a half dozen other minerals and metals Voyager was always needing...She hadn't seen such an inhospitable place since...She had to mentally correct herself. Hanon IV had been worse.
At least Estral III was uninhabited; where they were had no volcanic activity; and Voyager was safe--but damaged.
This planet had also been a godsend...They had not detected any signs of intelligent life in the area. The planet was rich in life. Those so inclined had eaten something that had tasted remarkably similar to a pig last night. She smiled at the memory. The Delaney sisters had organized the whole thing: including somehow convincing Neelix to be happy that he wasn't cooking.
She looked up the wall again as she closed her canteen and replaced it on her utility belt.
She noticed the building clouds overhead and reached for her comm-badge, and stopped. The transporters were again off-line. They'd been having problems ever since Kes's...
Kathryn shook her head sadly. She still could not put Kes's...passing-on behind her. She sometimes felt that the young woman was there with her...
"Captain!" She turned quickly to face her first officer as he approached from one of the many small canyons that joined with the one she was walking in.
"Commander?"
"There's a storm approaching. We've recalled all teams. You're comm-badge isn't working."
She nodded as she looked warily about the canyons. A quick tap on her comm-badge proved his statement. "We'd better be returning too. The mining team?"
"They've already returned to the surface."
Janeway looked around as she realized that she had hiked further than she'd planned. "Well it was a nice hike."
He nodded with a smile. "Tuvok won't be happy, both commanding officers caught in a rainstorm." His grin widened as the first drops fell. "We'd better get going." She didn't argue as she followed. They picked their way through the various canyons, following the way he had come. They walked twenty minutes easily dodging the drops.
Then the skies opened. Within five minutes both were soaked. Chakotay stopped as he looked at what was probably an animal path. There looked to be a cave opening too about a third-of-the-way up.
A loud crash of thunder was followed by several more. He grabbed her arm and pointed upward. She looked up, the rain blinding her. She shook her head in a vain attempt to clear her eyes. She nodded in agreement.
They scrambled up the very narrow trail, slick with water and fast becoming a small stream. The pounding rain and roar of thunder drowned out all sounds. A sudden burst of wind pushed both flat against the rock they were climbing. They continued when it had passed.
Kathryn was surprised when it started to rain even harder. "Can you reach Voyager?" She yelled out--knowing he couldn't understand her over the noise. It was overwhelming. She grabbed a rocky outcrop when she felt her foot slide. Estral had just moved into first place as the worst place she had visited.
Her frown deepened when she noticed her First Officer stop. He was gripping a rock, facing the cave. She fervently hoped it was well stocked...though she knew that even just dry was wishful thinking.
Chakotay looked at the tri-corder. He was adjusting it constantly because of the frequent lightning. But it looked like the cave was empty. He pulled out his phaser and entered. Kathryn followed, her phaser out too.
It took two minutes to completely survey their cave. It was empty. Chakotay took his tri-corder and placed it near the cave entrance. An alarm system...but he doubted there would be many visitors...He looked quickly at Kathryn who was gathering rocks to make a heat source, then looked out the cave entrance. A new noise had joined the incessant sounds of the deluge and thunder. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"What is it?" She shouted. He didn't answer, but continued to listen. "Are we high enough?" They had climbed about 15 meters above the canyon floor.
"I think so," he replied. "I noticed the flood marks end lower down." He turned to look at her. "We might as well make ourselves comfortable."
She laughed. "You're soaking wet." Neither moved from the entrance.
"Why Captain, so are you."
She looked down at herself and dead panned, "Why so I am. I'll send for room-service." She frowned as she looked around. "We're stuck here."
"Looks that way. I can't contact Voyager either. The storm is disrupting the signal."
*When the storm cleared Voyager would send out the shuttles to look for us,* she thought as she watched the rising water on the canyon floor. The rain slackened a bit. She could actually see the other side of the narrow canyon. The rumbling sound was coming closer and turning into a roar.
The water rose quickly. They could hear the sound of the rocks--carried by the ugly brown torrent--tear into the canyon walls.
They watched the flood for half an hour, before they moved toward the back--to the warmth of the heated rocks and away from the rain.
Both officers sat very close to their heat source, but on opposite sides, hoping to dry out--neither willing to suggest the logical course of action.
With a frown, Kathryn realized she wouldn't dry wearing her uniform so she finally removed her jacket and gray turtleneck--not looking at her First Officer as she did so.
"Cold?" He asked huskily. He had turned away from her, still completely entranced by her lithe figure in the grey tank-top, the matted wet hair she had removed from it's confines.
"A little," she answered. He wasn't looking, so she slipped-off her bra. She then removed her boots. Her socks were soaked. "You?"
He turned to look at her and smiled. "I'm fine." He shifted his position slightly, he was definitely not feeling cold.
"You must be as wet as I am," she looked at him then the cave entrance. "The rain seems to be lessening. She counted slowly when she saw the sky light up. She got to eight before they heard the thunder. "It's getting further away. Good, I could use a hot bath and I was looking forward to dinner..." She closed her eyes. Food was not a good thing to mention. Which brought up another item--her bladder. She stood and again walked around the cave. It was getting darker.
"Looking for something?" He asked watching her. He had removed his jacket and was laying it out to dry. StarFleet issue--it would dry quickly and then he'd use it as a pillow.
She glanced back at him. "Uhh. Yea. I...well."
"We don't have too many choices..."
"I noticed." She stood at the cave entrance. The water was now about 8 meters below them.
She jumped when she felt his hand on her arm. "Here, hand me your canteen. There's a small depression over in the back." He pointed. She nodded as she handed him her canteen and walked toward the back. He smiled as he held both their canteens in the rain. The rain had lessened so he could now see where the canyon curved out of sight. What had been a small trickle just an hour was still a raging torrent. They wouldn't be going anywhere soon.
He turned at a sound. Kathryn was moving the pebbles from around their *fire.* She looked up at his approach. "Next time I pick the accommodations. The mattress is hard and room service is atrocious."
He laughed. "Hey, but it has a waterfront view." He kicked a few stones away and placed the canteens near their heat-source. Walking over to her, he said. "Voyager will look for us in the morning."
"I know...It's just that I promised Neelix to sing at his talent show tonight...He probably thinks I'm hiding from him." She grinned wickedly. "For that matter I understand he had dragged you into the act...*Commander,* what were you doing tonight."
He looked at her. "It's a surprise." He smiled as he watched her curiosity get the better of her. "And I'm not telling."
"Awful man. Well. So much for the entertainment here."
He took her hand. "We'll think of something."
She studied his face carefully, not sure what she saw in his eyes. She hoped the increasing darkness prevented him from seeing her blush.
Chakotay grinned as he pulled her into his arms: when she stiffened, he whispered. "May I have this dance?"
She started to say no, but changed her mind. "Certainly Commander. They danced, the only music the sounds outside: the pizzicato of the lessening deluge; the beat of thunder; and the drone of the torrent. Formally at first--a prim distance between them--but as the minutes passed, Kathryn found herself moving closer, soon she was leaning against him--her head resting on his shoulder, a wonderful warmth spreading through her.
She stopped suddenly as reality returned...she stepped away from her First Officer. "Thank-you Commander," she said, before retreating to the other side of the cave. *Spirits, what have I done?* She mentally tormented herself, as she tried to bring herself back to normal...whatever that was...to control the overwhelming urge to cross back over to him, wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him until they were both breathless.
*This isn't working,* she thought as her heart-rate soared again. She started working simple derivatives in her head.
Chakotay watched her as she stood watching him. It was too dark to see much except vague shapes. The occasional flash of lightning would briefly illuminate the cave...He smiled slightly. He had been so close to kissing her--savoring the feel of her lips on his, pulling her tight to him...
He couldn't let his mind wander to the what ifs...But those what ifs were fast becoming a possibility. He moved to where he'd put his StarFleet issue jacket. It was dry, with a tinge of warmth from the heated rocks. He pulled his phaser and re-energized the rocks. He heard her cross the cave to sit.
Silently both bundled their jackets and lay down on the hard ground on opposite sides of the heat source. He desperately wanted to say something--but the only words he could think of, might be the wrong ones.
"Hell," she exclaimed as she rolled over on a rock.
"Kathryn?"
"Just a rock in my bed." She squirmed slightly as she lay down again and tried to get comfortable. She looked over at him. She could see his outline and knew he was watching her...she could feel his eyes on her. "Chakotay?"
"Hmmm?"
"Do you tell bedtime stories?"
He chuckled. "Sometimes. Let's see..." He thought several seconds. "But only to those who are on my side of the fire..." He didn't have to wonder long--Kathryn moved over and sat down beside him.
"OK."
He moved to a sitting position, next to her. "Well...There is this ancient legend..." He laughed when she giggled. "Kathryn?" They looked at each other, her hand reached up and touched his face. He leaned his face into her touch..."Kathryn," he whispered, not sure if this was the right reality.
She looked at him and pulled her hand away. What had she been thinking...doing...She shivered as she started to stand. His hands on her shoulders stopped her. With a slight shrug, he whispered, "It will be warmer if we..." She simply nodded. Chakotay took a deep breath when she stretched out facing the fire--her back toward him. He acknowledged her silent request by lying beside her--his back against hers.
#
#
A loud clap of thunder woke him...He realized that another storm was passing through--the steady downpour had again increased. He started to roll over, but stopped himself...Then he couldn't resist...
She looked peaceful--even with her matted hair. She stirred. "Something wrong?" She asked, her voice slurred with sleep.
"No...I was going to re-energize the rocks," he lied. Then quickly stood to do as he'd said. She sat up and watched his blurry figure...So quiet, so...She closed her eyes as she tried to convince herself to move back to her side of the fire. He was right--it was warmer...and not only from the warmth of the stones...She quickly lay back down--blocking where her thoughts were going.
Chakotay smiled to himself as he lay down, resting his head on his elbow. He watched her fall back to sleep--she looked so beautiful. He wrapped his arm about her as he pulled her close. Her back against his chest. He soon fell asleep, dreaming wonderful dreams.
The morning brought a chill, but Kathryn Janeway was unaware of that. As she slowly returned to reality, she realized two things: she was in a cave; and she was asleep on *his* chest. She started to sit up, but his arms were wrapped around her.
He looked at her when she moved, "Good morning." He smiled--and she had to close her eyes to avoid responding to his dimples. "Sleep well?"
She nodded, her eyes still closed. His arms didn't move--she was still stuck--if she opened her eyes...
"Well..." His voice was teasing. "She won't even speak to me. Hah."
"I will too..." She opened her eyes and found herself staring down into his deep dark eyes. His arms tightened, pulling her even closer--she leaned her head down toward his..."Chakotay...I..." She kissed him. Her lips melded with his, her hands moved to cradle hold his face. She felt his arms tighten more as he pulled her closer, his hands started to stroke her back. He rolled them over and moved his mouth to her neck, then shoulders. He nibbled at the base of her neck, causing her to moan and arch her back.
*Chirrip.*
With a start she pulled away from him. He sat up, it was his comm-badge. "Chakotay here."
"Commander, it's a pleasure to hear your voice," Tom said with a smile. "I have you on my sensors. Let me know when you're ready to beam out." There was a laugh.
They both had quickly dressed when Tom spoke. She nodded at him. "We're ready Tom. Energize," was the Commander's quick reply.
Tom greeted them enthusiastically when they appeared on the shuttle. "You had us worried," he admonished them teasingly. "Some storm."
Janeway glared at him. "How's my ship?"
"Voyager is fine Captain," his voice slipped back into his professional tone. "We had completed most of the repairs before the storm. The mining team made it back before the storm hit. B'Elanna hopes to be ready to leave by tomorrow morning."
"Very good." She took her comm-badge off. "Are there any others not working?" She asked.
Tom shrugged. "Apparently not. Try it now, Captain."
She tapped it, "Janeway to Voyager."
"Captain," Tuvok's voice said. "Are you and the Commander all right?"
"Just tired and dirty," she looked at her comm-badge and shook her head. With a shrug she replaced it.
Tom watched them quietly as he landed the shuttle next to Voyager. Neither one had spoken to or looked at the other during the entire trip. He grinned, as he erased his sensor logs.
The doors opened and Tuvok greeted them. "Captain, Commander. Welcome back." He looked at the Captain. "Captain, it is my duty to remind you that you should not have wandered so far..."
"Lieutenant. Thank-you for the advice. The Commander has all ready chewed me out for my *minor* transgression." As she spoke her hand went to her neck, which she rubbed lightly. "I'm going to get cleaned-up, get something to eat and then inspect the ship. Commander, I recommend you do the same. Dismissed."
Tom grinned as he watched the three leave the vessel. He turned back to the console to close out the log and complete the lock-down of the shuttle. It took him only a minute to finish, then he prepared to leave. A final look around the shuttle...He noticed something white lying on the floor. He reached down to pick it up and whistled. He quietly tossed the item into the waste receptacle.
#
#
She was filthy--the first thing she noticed when she entered her bathroom The second was her smile. Despite everything she felt great...no wonderful. She closed her eyes and let herself remember the details of their kiss, wondering how far they would have gone if Tom...
Which lead to what now...A subject she now had to deal with after months if not years of avoiding it. Sighing she stripped off her uniform and started to step into the shower...She stopped and looked through her clothes.
When Tom had contacted them, she had put on her turtleneck and jacket and carefully stuffed her bra into her waistband...Hadn't she? It wasn't in the pile...She hoped it hadn't fallen out on her way to her quarters...She laughed--fortunately she had stopped labeling her underwear years ago. Well if it had, there would be some interesting stories...She remembered when Neelix had found a pair of pink panties under one of the dining hall tables...Still laughing, she stepped into the sonic shower.
#
#
It had been a long day...Kathryn lay down in her bed and stared at her ceiling. For the past twelve hours they had been finishing repairs and scrambling to complete everything before tomorrow's zero-nine-hundred departure.
She fingered the comm-badge she was holding. It had been a fluke that it had quit working when it did. Analysis of it had shown some minor changes at the atomic level...She had replaced it...
Her thoughts returned to the cave, to sleeping in his arms, to his kisses...She closed her eyes trying to regain her composure. "Let's face it, Kathryn," she said to the comm-badge. "You're in love with him." The words caused her stomach to tighten and her smile to grow bigger. Tossing the comm-badge on her dresser, she stood...
#
#
Chakotay was sitting on the floor looking at his medicine bundle...Finally he carefully replaced the items and returned it to where it belonged. Frustrated he started pacing...They'd spent the day working, somehow avoiding each other until the evening briefing. He'd meant to ask her to have dinner with him--but she'd left with B'Elanna for engineering before he had a chance.
Then there was Tom--the blond pilot had an annoyingly knowing-grin on his face. Chakotay had considered assigning him to the kitchen...But that would only confirm what the younger man believed...
Chakotay sighed and closed his eyes. If Tom had arrived five minutes later...He considered going to her quarters.
He walked over to the door, it slid open and he nearly collided with her. Neither spoke for a minute--they just looked at each other. "Kathryn..." He stepped aside and she entered. Again there was an awkward silence. Finally when he spoke, she turned and looked at him. "About this morning...I..." He hesitated, then took a deep breath and said the words that he'd not said earlier. "I love you."
She smiled, her eyes glistened and shone as she stepped toward him. "I love you too," she whispered. She trembled as he pulled her into her arms. She leaned her head against his shoulder--listening to his heart--enjoying the feel of his arms around her. Soon it wasn't enough, she lifted her face and moved her arms around his neck.
Their lips met for a gentle kiss that quickly grew in intensity. They separated for a breath of air. Her fingers moved to the zipper of his jacket and pulled it down quickly. She slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders and down his arms, guiding the jacket off his body.
They kissed again, hard. Their tongues entangling. Hands working feverishly to rid each other of clothing. Her jacket was next. Sweeping his arms down under her he lifted her and carried her to his bed.
#
#
Kathryn woke with a smile as she let herself be pulled closer to her lover. "Good morning."
His response was to roll on top of her and kiss her...Just as the alarm went off. Reluctantly they parted. "Good morning." He grinned. "Sleep well?"
She shook her head, "Nope." She looked at the bedding. "We do need to talk...And now isn't exactly the right moment." She felt him tense and pull away. "What do we tell the crew?"
He relaxed and kissed the top of her head before climbing over her and out of his bed. "Anything you want..." He turned in the doorway to the bathroom. "Dinner, Captain?"
She nodded as she stood and started to gather up her clothes. She smiled. They had been in a hurry last night--she blushed at the memory.
She quickly dressed to return to her quarters. She had just over half-an-hour to get to bridge. It wouldn't do if the Captain was late...
#
#
Tom couldn't control the urge to grin as he watched Chakotay take his seat. "Good morning, Commander." He didn't ask, *sleep well.* But he did wink before returning his concentration to his console.
Chakotay sighed, that kid was going to find himself working on the hull yet. He heard the turbo-lift doors opened and mentally prepared himself.
"Good morning," he heard her say. He pulled up his terminal and started to peruse a file...
"Commander." She stood by her chair. "Mr. Tuvok, prepare the ship for departure in one hour. Commander, you have the bridge. I'll be in engineering."
"Very good Captain." He smiled slightly as he looked at her. She gave a quick smile in return.
Tom whistled quietly as he again turned to his console. *Fascinating,* he thought with a grin. "Well what do you know..."
"Lieutenant?" Tom heard Chakotay ask. Tom blanched slightly, he hadn't meant to speak out loud.
"Nothing, sir."
Chakotay shook his head, then returned to working on preparations for departure.
#
#
"Good afternoon, Commander," Kathryn said as she approached where he was sitting in the dining hall. "Mind if I join you."
"Not at all, Captain. It would be my pleasure." He grinned at her. All he wanted to do was reach out and touch her.
She looked at him and shook her head. "You, Commander are incorrigible."
"I try." He looked at her tray. "You chose the pink stuff..." He shook his head.
"I try to avoid anything chartreuse. This was the only other offering." She leaned over the table. "I do hope you have a better place in mind for dinner."
He winked. "I thought we might skip dinner."
Kathryn glanced about quickly before looking at her food again. If she looked at him, she would want to...*Stop that,* she admonished herself. A wicked smile played on her lips as she continued eating, "That might be acceptable..."
Chakotay cocked his head slightly. "I'd better be getting back to the bridge, before..."
She looked up at him and they both smiled. "Very well Commander, see you on the bridge."
As he walked by her, he leaned over and whispered, "I'd rather see you..." She glared at him and he quickly walked on.
Tom turned back to Harry. "See."
"They've been flirting like that for three years," Harry grumbled as he twirled whatever the stringy-chartreuse-food was about his fork.
Tom raised his eyebrows, "Not like this. There was an air of familiarity between them this morning." He had to smile at his friend's puzzled look.
"If you say so," Harry glanced at the Captain. There was something in her smile. He looked back at his friend and shook his head. *Maybe, just maybe Tom was right...*