Disclaimer: We borrowed from more than the usual suspects. Let's see Paramount twice over; Twentieth Century Fox; Spielberg; and Lucas...
So, enjoy and hunt for the hidden and not so hidden references.
Kathryn Janeway rolled over and kicked the covers off. "Computer set environmental controls to 20 Celsius," she said sleepily.
"Unable to comply. Environmental controls are still off-line."
She swore quietly as she ran her hand over her brow. She considered asking B'Elanna how much longer they would be down. No, B'Elanna had been complaining all evening that the number of calls were hampering engineering's efforts to find and repair the problem.
She may have grown-up with the humidity and heat of an Indiana summer, but she'd been spoiled by too many years of environmental controls. "Hell. I'm not going to get any sleep in this heat." She got up and moved to her living room. It wasn't any cooler.
She picked up the fan she'd replicated earlier and started fanning herself. She looked at the several reports on her desk, the ones she hadn't read earlier because it was too hot. "Still is."
She considered a bath--but even the water was warm...Instead she looked out her window. "And to think it's cold out there..."
*Chirrip.*
"Janeway here," She answered after finding her comm-badge.
"Captain," it was Chakotay. "Tom has finished his newest holoadventure and wants me to try it. Interested?"
"What is it?"
"An adventure set in a Sojen jungle..."
"Sounds hot," was her response.
"Perfect, considering..." He laughed.
"An Arctic adventure would be perfect." She rolled her eyes. "All right I'll be there in 15 minutes."
"Holodeck two, wear something practical--no uniform though."
#
#
Fifteen minutes later found her standing outside holodeck two wondering why she had agreed. Considering the heat, she felt a bit overdressed, boots, jeans, a long sleeved shirt and a hat. But Tom's adventures tended to be a bit too realistic. She hoped they had programmed a breeze.
The door opened and she found herself in the middle of a very noisy jungle. She grabbed a leaf that was dangling annoyingly on her head. She recognized the soft-rubbery feel and the distinctive x-shape as being a Sojen mangled-rubber tree. She looked around again. What kind of holo-program would take place in the Sojen jungles?
She pushed a branch out of her way. There was a narrow path, heavily overgrown. "Chakotay?" The response was some dreadful noise from the top of the jungle canopy. She looked up, several large monkeys were looking at her. They quickly moved away. Laughing she called out his name. Again no response. She tapped her comm-badge. "Janeway to Chakotay." No response. "Computer, locate Commander Chakotay."
"Without emergency authorization, that function is not available during this simulation."
*Damn.* She looked around. She was going to have to go looking for him. "Computer one machete?"
One appeared on the ground before her. "Computer, a 1 quart canteen of water." The object appeared beside the machete. She took the canteen (that conveniently came with a utility belt) and put it on. Then she picked up the machete. "Chakotay?" Sighing, she started down the path, swinging at the branches that blocked her way.
As she walked, a distant rumbling became increasingly louder. "Chakotay?" she called out again, the machete frozen as she listened. Only the rumbling, and other noisy jungle sounds greeted her ears.
With a hurumph she continued hacking with increasing ferocity toward the rumbling sound, which incidentally seemed to follow the path. She began to wonder how Chakotay could have made it through the thick growth without leaving a trail a mile wide. Turning, she was surprised to find that the trail she'd hacked behind herself had grown back in.
"What...?" she sputtered aloud. "Computer, eliminate foliage along path by 30%."
As the foliage along the path obediently decreased itself, she continued on with a smirk. The rumbling began to rise and fall as she continued until she broke into a clearing.
The first thing she noticed was a breathtakingly beautiful waterfall in the distance, its waters falling mistily out of sight with a roar. The next was a large ramshackled-wooden building, utterly out of place in the middle of the jungle, built along a tall rock wall. A rickety sign hanging over the door read: Ke Nob Inn. Raucous laughter could be heard spilling from the swinging doors.
With a smirk she pushed her way into the darkness of the room to find...chaos. A glass whiskey bottle shot by her nose, quickly followed by a body. A bar brawl the likes of which she'd never seen was in full swing.
Someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her into a corner. "You might not want to stand there like that, they might think you're fair game...the last young lady was thrown over some yahoo's back and carted up those stairs...didn't put up much of a struggle though." Chakotay's warm breath fanned against her check as he spoke; he still hadn't released her.
"What kind of program have you gotten me into, Commander?" she pulled her gaze away from the chaotic scene to look at him. He wore a brown fedora, that only served to highlight his dimples...mesmerizing...
Chakotay's grin deepened. "Like it?" he asked.
"What...?" Kathryn hoped the dim light hid her flush of embarrassment.
Chakotay laughed out loud. "The hat," he clarified. "This one's for you." He removed her bush hat, and replaced it with a Fedora identical to his own. "Now we're ready," he looked her over appraisingly.
"Like it?" she could resist teasing.
"Oh, yes," Chakotay said with a passion that made her insides wobble. "Now to get out of here. Maybe you should go first..."
"Alright," she agreed. "Where are we going anyway?"
"Treasure hunting," Chakotay replied as she headed for the door, ducking flying bottles, chairs and bodies alike.
"Hey Buddy!!" a voice called ominously, as Chakotay felt a non-too-polite tap on his shoulder...
"Can I help you?" Chakotay turned around, and donned his most pleasant smile.
"You can help me by helping yourself out of this jungle." He had a few days growth of beard, and his clothing was torn and stained.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't do that," Chakotay shrugged, and turned around as if to go back on his way.
"I said," the stranger snarled, "I don't like you, and I want you out." He drew a knife from the cuff of his boot, and tossed it from hand to hand menacingly.
"I was afraid you were going to say that," Chakotay was acting much cockier than Kathryn had ever seen, and she wondered if it were part of the story. As she watched silently, he widened his stance just slightly, as if preparing for a confrontation.
The adversary took a slow step towards him, and at the same time, Chakotay unhooked a whip from his belt and cracked it, snapping the knife from the stranger's hand.
The other man growled and advanced on Chakotay, face red and blazing. Strengthened by his rage, he managed to knock Chakotay to the ground, and began pummeling him mercilessly.
Kathryn watched, wondering what to do and then stopped. "Computer, chair, no vase."
"Specify size and style."
"Large, Waterford, no Ming. Approximately five kilos." Taking the vase in hand, she slid up behind Chakotay's attacker, and cold-cocked him, smashing the vase in the process."
"The man slumped, having been knocked out cold, and Chakotay slid out from underneath his dead weight.
"Oh Kathryn, why?" Chakotay took on a pained expression.
"I'm sorry, I just didn't know how else to get rid of him."
"That's fine, but Ming. Couldn't you just use a chair next time?"
"I'll remember that...your lip, are you okay?" She ran a thumb over it gently, and then pulled her hand back.
"I'm...fine."
"No you're not. I want you to see the doctor. Computer end and save program."
"Unable to comply."
"Damnation," Kathryn muttered. Her victim was beginning to stir...And there were ominous rumblings from the other patrons. "We should leave," she whispered, helping him to his feet. She picked up their dropped belongings and they headed out the bar.
They walked quickly down the trail, until the inn was no longer in sight. She guided him toward the river and sat him down on a rock. After carefully cleaning his wounds, and doing what first aide she could, she turned on him and looked at him with a glare in her eyes. "All right Commander! What is this program?"
Sheepishly he handed her a map. "As I said a treasure hunt. We're in the Sojen jungle, near the Ilae Mountains...And somewhere out there is a treasure..."
"Full of adventure, bobby traps, dangers...and an apparently damaged holodeck..." She tapped her comm-badge. Nothing. "Great." She looked at him then at a map. She studied it carefully and looked at her surrounding. "Hmmm. That tall triangular peak. The snow covered one over there..." She pointed to their left. "That is probably this peak here." She pointed to the map. "Which means we are here. Well according to the map we continue straight ahead." They looked at the trail. What they could see crossed the river and started up the other side...
The waters of the river tumbled wildly over rocks and branches as they headed toward the waterfall.
"The object is to get from here to there without getting wet." Kathryn murmured as she eyed the slippery rock path that lead across the river. The only other option appeared to be an extremely rickety rope bridge that crossed further along over the falls.
"Yes," Chakotay nodded with a satisfied smile. He was thoroughly enjoying this. "So which is it?"
Kathryn considered the rocks, and then the rickety bridge. Considering the holodeck was not functioning properly, she decided it might not be such a good idea to cross a watery gorge that plunged thousands of feet unto rough rocks.
With a sigh, she adjusted her Fedora and stepped out onto the first stepping stone. She had to concentrate to avoid being side-tracked by the rushing waters. She vaguely heard Chakotay's own steps behind her.
Halfway across, a loud swish flew by her ear. She looked up in time to see an arrow bury itself into a tree on the opposite shore
"Get down!" Kathryn grabbed Chakotay's arm and pulled him with her, but not before an arrow had managed to graze her arm.
"Geez that smarts!"
"Here let me look," he ripped the sleeve from her shirt. "It's not too deep, but..." he paused, looking at her wound a little more closely. "Wait here, I want to see if I can find the arrow that made this. Here," he returned her sleeve to her, "use this to try to stop the bleeding."
Kathryn sat watching his retreating form, as he crawled along the jungle floor, the expression on her face something between bemused and confused. He was not even out of sight before he returned with the arrowhead. "I was right," he said showing it to her, though his expression was anything but triumphant, "it's been coated with something. I think our best bet at this point is to assume that it's poisonous, and get you to shelter."
"I survived the Kazon, the Borg, and the Vidiians only to be brought down by a poisoned arrow on a holodeck simulation."
"It may not be lethal, you were only grazed."
"No I'm feeling the effects right now. My heart's racing; my head's light. Kiss me, Chakotay."
"What?"
"Kiss me. If I'm gonna die, at least let me kiss you first."
Chakotay looked at the arrow first, what kind of poison was this. Her arms were creeping up around his neck and she was pulling them closer--a dream come true--except he suspected that this sudden amorous reaction was caused by the *poison.*
Her searching lips found his...For several seconds he enjoyed the sensation of finally holding her in his arms, then he held her at arms length. "Kathryn." She moaned at the loss of the contact and struggled to get closer. "Kathryn, this isn't you..." He didn't get to say anything else as thirty natives holding spears and arrows surrounded them.
"Hello," Chakotay said as he pulled her close. The drug was starting to wear off, she struggled slightly--then stopped at the sight of the natives.
"Now what?" She whispered.
"I don't know."
The leader shook his spear, then pointed up the trail. The others moved closer forcing the couple to start walking.
"Well, we are headed in the right direction," he smiled at her. "How you feeling?"
An angry native jabbed his spear into Chakotay's back. The angry Commander shoved it away. "Hey, point that thing elsewhere"
The group of pigmies lead the two officers across a large platform made of woven roots and rope. One of the little men hit a lever and the platform began to move with a good deal of creaking. It moved slowly, painfully, upward.
As the platform rose a whole new world came into a view; an entire village was built at 20 Meters above the forest floor. A fire burned in what appeared to be a central meeting area.
The captain and commander were led to a spot near the fire. A large sunken tub full of what appeared to be water sat nearby. One of the little men gestured to a veiled group standing in a darkened doorway. The moved quickly into the light.
One of the guards moved his arrow more firmly toward the base of Chakotay's neck as the veiled pigmies pulled him so that he was on his knees on the wooden planking. Kathryn was likewise pulled down to the level of the pigmies.
First the creatures removed the hats, and then immediately set about figuring out how to work the fastenings on their garments.
After several seconds the leader of the pygmies looked at Kathryn as though he were eyeing a particularly appetizing dessert. Her skin crawled under his gaze, and she glared back at him. He shouted something and the pigmies stepped back from their captives.
"Kathryn," Chakotay struggled to not laugh, "o-day o-yay ow-knay ig-pay atin-lay."
She got a strange expression on her face as the natives continued to circle them, "es-yay?"
"Good," he continued in Pig Latin, "I want you to fake a fainting spell, and then just follow my lead. I think I know how to get us out of here."
"Are you nuts, or do you just have a death wish today?" Her eyes blazed as she yelled in Standard English.
"Ust-tray e-may." He looked at her earnestly, and all she could do was agree.
"Ohhhh," Kathryn's voice rose in pitch as she looked down at the leader, "I don't feel so well. I think..." She collapsed in a dead faint.
"Uhh!" The leader grunted and four men ran over and picked her up off the ground. "Bring her to the Jaba Hut, Fobba Bett will look at her."
Chakotay started to stand and follow, but found that he was not going to be allowed to follow. "But...she suffers from a rare condition, only I know how to treat it..." He tried to keep his demeanor from giving away the lie.
The leader consulted with two others in rapid gibberish. Their was a lot of pointing and angry words. Chakotay was beginning to wonder what his next idea would be, when the leader nodded and motioned with his hand. "Go. Take care of her." Two guards stood beside him, their spears pointing at him. "Computer end program." As he feared there was again no response. When they got out of here, a certain pilot would be scheduled for...
The guard on his left pushed him toward a large hut. Chakotay entered and noted Kathryn lying on a cot, she looked up at him, then turned away quickly. Chakotay smiled as the guards forced him to sit beside her.
"So," she hissed. "What's your plan?"
He glanced quickly around the room. "I don't know. I'm making this up as I go."
There was a groan of frustration, a blur, and then a bone shattering crash. Chakotay pulled his eyes away from the far wall in time to see one of the guards landing heavily on a beaded mat. The other was feeling the full force of the fallen guard's stick.
He looked at his furious captain, too stunned to make any comment.
"I didn't like the way he was looking at me," she said. "Besides somebody's got to get us out of here. Come on!"
Chakotay moved! They climbed out of a back window, and crept along the side of the hut. Kathryn took point, still wielding the large club she'd lifted off the guard. Peering around a corner, she noticed three guards walking toward the hut. Someone was obviously starting to get curious.
She then looked across toward the central fire, and then over her shoulder at her first officer. There was no way either of them were going to make it through the courtyard without being seen.
A loud gong sounded. Obviously someone had figured out things weren't as they should have been.
Chakotay grabbed Kathryn's arm and pointed upward. She followed his gaze to the thatched roof of the large hut. A sturdy looking network of branches dipped to within 4 feet of the top of the roof. A bit tall for the pigmies; but just right for a human.
Kathryn struggled to climb up the side of the hut. She could easily reached the roof, but it was a bit difficult to get her body over the little ledge. She dangled, half on and half off the roof.
Chakotay bit the inside of his mouth, and looked around in extreme discomfort as the sounds of the approaching pigmies drew ever closer. Finally, he bit the bullet, reached out and boosted her up by her back side.
Kathryn grunted her thanks, as Chakotay shimmied up the side, his foot clearing the roof just as the pigmies climbed out of the window.
From the top of the hut they could see that the entire village was interconnected. It was actually quiet intelligent architecture. Captain and Commander moved stealthily toward the branches. They were still several yards from the point where the branches were--when there was a sickening crumbling sound as the roof gave completely beneath their feet...
They landed rather unceremoniously atop two of the pygmy guards. "Sorry, just dropped in to say hello." Chakotay grabbed Kathryn's hands, and pulled her up, "RUN!!"
The guards watched them leave, still too stunned for the moment to react. The head start and their longer legs allowed them to gain a considerable head start on the advancing throng, and they were safely out of the village and back in the jungle, hidden by the thick foliage.
"Computer," Kathryn gasped, doubled over and catching her breath. "Computer, end program," Kathryn spoke again.
"Unable to comply."
"Well," Kathryn sighed, "it was worth a try, but I'm getting the feeling that the only way we're ever going to get out of here, is to finish it."
"Well, there's only one way to do that," Chakotay buttoned his trousers. "Let's see the map."
"Map? I thought you had the map!"
"Why would I have it?"
"Well, it's your program."
"My program? Tom wrote it..." They looked at each other and started laughing. She leaned her head against his arm, laughing hard. Neither one noticed the increased wind, or that the humidity was climbing.
After several minutes she straightened up and looked at him. "Unless you think the computer will replicate another one, we'll have to go back."
This time they noticed the gust of wind. Somewhere a tree crashed to the ground--the sound reverberated for several minutes. "I think we would be better of finding shelter..." Chakotay shouted above the howl of the wind.
"I think I agree..." The wind was blowing her hair around her face. She looked back toward the pygmy village. "Commander." Blowing toward them was a piece of paper. "You don't think? What are the odds?" she asked in amazement.
Chakotay took off after the paper that finally caught against the trunk of a tree. "Never quote me the odds," he grinned, handing her the paper. "Which direction do we go?"
She studied the map carefully as the first drops of rain started to fall. "I have no idea, the trees all look alike."
The sky lit up with several flashes of lightning followed by the rumble of thunder.
Chakotay took her hand and pointed toward a small rise, "There..." Again they started running.
At the base she stopped. "I'm not going up there--we'd be a target for the lightning..." She wasn't sure about the safeties.
He nodded as he opened the map. "See, I think we're here." He pointed to a crescent shaped hill on the map. "We need to orient ourselves."
The downburst ended as quickly as it had started, leaving the two officers soaking wet. The clouds started breaking up, again letting the sun shine through.
The rain left the air smelling clean and fresh; alleviating some of the thickness in the jungle air. Everything seemed so clean and bright. The warmth was quickly drying their clothing as well.
"What now?" Kathryn asked, still not having found her bearings.
"This way," Chakotay pointed, directing a finger further along a half overgrown path. He glanced toward Kathryn. The computer had replicated outfit similar to what they'd previously been wearing, including the Fedora's, but had been able to do nothing about her hair. She was struggling to tuck the whole mess beneath the hat. It wasn't working.
"Here, let me braid it," he said, moving to stand behind her.
"I never learned to braid," she said wryly.
"Really? With all this hair?" he questioned, surprised. He'd have thought Kathryn Janeway would have been a master.
"Oh, I can do the obligatory 1 plait, but even that takes me forever of doing and undoing until I can make it look even remotely presentable. But anything more than that..." She let her words trail off shrugging, trying to ignore the feeling of his fingers combing through her hair.
Chakotay smiled. "Well, I'm at your service, anytime you want to learn. Or have it done."
Kathryn remained silent. Standing there without squirming, forcing herself to breathe normally was hard enough. There was something very intimate about the way he went about his task; she didn't think she could handle it on a regular basis.
When he was done, he turned her to face himself, so he might examine his handiwork from a different vantage point.
Kathryn raised her eyes quickly to his before looking away, hoping he didn't notice her embarrassment.
Chakotay smiled softly, placing the hat on her head before tucking a finger beneath her chin, willing her to look at him.
"You could use a good kiss." Kathryn looked up at him, eyes wide as a school girls, and simply nodded in agreement.
He kissed her tenderly, and more eagerly than before--encouraged by the knowledge that this was HER, and she was willing, not under the influence of some native poison, or thinking that she was about to die.
Kathryn wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned into him, and then almost as quickly as it had started Chakotay broke it off...
She looked at him surprised. "What's wrong?" She whispered.
"Shh, listen."
There was a long silence, then she heard it. A distant drone. "Sojen air defenses..." Chakotay answered.
"Remind to have a long talk with Tom, when we get out of here." He just grunted as they took off deeper into the trees.
"They looking for us?" She asked when they stopped.
"No other reason to program them in." There was a shrill whine as one of the craft flew over them. They were just barely able to make out it's gray shape through the canopy. "Though they aren't going to detect much at that high a speed." A second aircraft flew over...This time they could feel the trees vibrate.
"On second thought, I'll skip the talk and just shoot him out the airlock." She glanced at Chakotay. "Where do we go now?"
He pulled out the map, ignoring a third pass of the Sojen aircraft. "They're leaving." It was true, the aircraft were moving on.
"Good." She leaned against him to look at the map he was holding. "The Devils Corkscrew?"
He shrugged. "It's our next landmark. It's also in open ground."
"Well, just so we recognize it. Come on this place gives me the creeps..."
They set off again along the trail. It wasn't long before the trees began to thin and they were in a large field. Chakotay leaned down and examined the soil.
"It's looks as if someone has been cultivating something here." He sifted his fingers into the loose dirt beneath the short grasses. Tiny round reddish seeds peppered his hands amidst the dark dirt. His eye was caught by something else among the dirt.
Kathryn leaned beside him for a closer look. "What are they?" she asked, taking one from his hand to examine more closely. Whitish flakes came off on her fingers.
Chakotay glanced quickly around, clutching the map tighter. "I think we'd better find something less...open," he said.
"Why? What did these seeds tell you?" Kathryn wanted to know.
"These are pepper seeds," Chakotay explained as he took her arm and moved with haste toward some bushes near the edge of the jungle. "If these are Aneurian pepper seeds, as I suspect, of which small doses would cause for a reaction similar to yours when that arrow skimmed you. Which means..."
"That this land belongs to someone skilled in making the type of poison the pigmies tipped their arrows in." Kathryn finished. "But how do we know this field isn't theirs?"
"Because," Chakotay began, eyes scanning as they moved along the edge of the jungle. "There are bare human footprints in the soil. And they weren't small..."
"Oh." Kathryn said, now scanning the jungle about them with greater urgency. She'd just done a circuit to their rear when a swift whistling sounded just before she was knocked flat on her back.
Laying beneath her first officer, she stared up at the very large arrow sticking out of the truck of a tree. "I've got a bad feeling about this."
No sooner had she spoken, than he was pulled off her and she was forced to sit up. Her hands were tied behind her back by an alien in a long flowing white costume.
"You will dance for us."
"Dance?" This holoprogram was getting more ridiculous by the minute.
"Yes, the sacred Dance of Progration must be performed by the royal couple."
"And if I refuse?"
"You and your mate will be executed."
#
#
Tom Paris was feeling smug as he studied the holodeck controls. The Captain and the Chakotay had been in the holodeck for over two hours. A look of delight dawned on his face as he discreetly made sure the privacy lock was engaged. He smiled as he looked down the corridor...Now came the hard part, telling B'Elanna that after spending days getting the environmental controls on-line, they wouldn't be celebrating in the holodeck.
#
#
Kathryn looked at Chakotay and mouthed, *Mate?*
Chakotay looked perplexed as he looked at the apparent native leader, "What is this Dance of Progration?"
There was no answer, instead they were rudely shoved toward a small mud house. "This is getting a little repetitive," Janeway said as the door closed behind them. "Unfriendly natives, shoved in closed rooms..."
He forced a laugh, "This time our hands are bound..."
"Speaking of which." She tried to untie his hands. "This isn't easy..." She muttered to no one in particular when the knot would yield. "I'm going to sentence Tom to life in the kitchen."
Chakotay started to respond...To say something like that *that was too good for the hot-shot young pilot.*
The door opened. The native in white dress was silhouetted in the doorway. The rhythmic sound of beating drums and cymbals nearly drowned out what the native said, "The Dance of Progration begins."
The native beat a large staff to the rhythm of the drums. Moments later, several masked-native couples dressed in filmy attire danced into the room. The rhythm slowed as the couples dance together, writhing and spinning. The couples separated, the females spinning delicate scarves. The extremely-agile male dancers combined their bodies into intricate postures--no doubt symbolic poses.
The female dances spun and twirled again meeting with the male dancers. As the dance continued, the rhythm began to pick up. Bodies met and parted, twisted and arched until the music increased into a frenzy.
Kathryn and Chakotay traded uncomfortable looks; the intent of the ceremony was obvious. Suddenly the music ceased and the dancers collapsed to the floor, covered in perspiration.
The native dressed in white reappeared arms raised. "Prepare them."
"Prepare us? For what?" Kathryn's looked at Chakotay. "Is this another part of the program that Tom conveniently left out."
Chakotay took his fedora off, and wiped some beads of perspiration away, "it looks like it. I'd say we just go with the flow." With the throng of natives that were pushing toward the door of small hut, it seemed like sound advice.
The duo ushered to the center of the room, and the chieftain, as Kathryn dubbed the one in white stood above them, brandishing a knife high above Kathryn's head. "Chakotay, look, I'm no expert, but now might be a good time to start thinking of a way to get us out of here."
"Shh, quiet."
"Chakotay, he's gonna kill us. We were almost lunch once already today, and that's one more time than I'd had planned."
"I don't think it's that kind of ceremony. Look around." She did, and saw several statues placed prominently around the room. Each one represented a male and female in several creative positions.
"I think I remember these from my academy days. One of the girls in my dormitory had a copy of the Kama Sutra, it looks like Tom's been boning up on Hindi rituals too."
Just then the chieftain brandished his knife, and Kathryn found herself without clothes.
"I'm going to kill him...personally," Kathryn muttered as the natives backed out the door." The chieftain stopped at the door and waved the knife wildly about the room, then walked out.
Chakotay laughed quietly. "Remember, revenge is a dish best served cold...And I have a better idea..." She turned to look at him, then turned away quickly.
"I'd love to hear it...But right now, I'd settle for ending this program..." She looked hopefully around the room, "Computer, end program? Emergency authorization Janeway Sigma two alpha...Computer replicate clothes..."
Nothing.
Instead of paying attention to her First Officer, she concentrated on the hut. It was better constructed than the previous one. Escape would not be as easy. "This is absolutely ridiculous. And no one has missed us yet?"
"Apparently not...Which, considering...might be a good thing." A piece of brown linen landed on her. "Best I could do on such short notice..."
She looked at it and smiled as she wrapped the curtain around herself. "So, what is your theory?"
"I'm pretty sure, you don't want to hear it..." He had also wrapped some material around himself.
"Since when has that ever stopped you before?" she asked.
Chakotay shrugged, and plunged in, pointedly putting out of his mind that many things he *had* held back from saying to her for precisely that reason. Of course those things generally involved her hair, her eyes, her lips...He blinked, attempting to focus himself as he explained.
"Think of it, Kathryn, they've danced for us, and then undressed us." He looked pointedly in her direction.
Kathryn returned his look blankly, clearly not getting his meaning.
Chakotay sighed, for someone of incredible intelligence she was definitely missing the obvious. He started again. "The meaning of the dance was clear. The dancers were all dressed in flowing garments that tended to obscure their faces while exposing much of their bodies. It was a mating dance Kathryn. They did it ceremonially for us, now they want us to do it for them." Chakotay could feel his face growing a dull red under her wordless stare.
Kathryn looked away, still silent, before moving agitatedly up from the floor, pulling her linens with her.
"That or they want to eat us," Chakotay murmured as he watched her go. He'd figured she wouldn't like it, but he hadn't expected her to go all quiet like that. He watched as she paced toward the far wall of the hut.
"So, we do it and then what?" Kathryn spun to ask.
It was Chakotay's turn to be speechless. Here he'd expected some well thought out plan of escape, instead he'd gotten an almost acknowledgment that she'd consider...
"Does that end the program?" she wondered allowed interrupting his string of thought. "What if it doesn't?"
*We do it again?* Chakotay thought to himself. Before he could speak aloud there was a flutter of movement at the hut entrance.
The chieftain entered again and looked disdainfully at Kathryn's makeshift garment. "You are taking too long. Less talk. More action." He snatched the curtain away from her. "What is wrong?" He addressed Chakotay, "A beautiful woman stands before you; do you not know what to do?"
"I think we understand now." Kathryn summoned what little of her authority she had left, "but we require some privacy." The chieftain gave her an odd look, but left without any further argument.
Kathryn looked up at her second, a slow blush creeping over her body, "Well?"
Chakotay smiled as he reached out to touch her face. "There is a way out of this...But I would suspect Paris didn't include it in the program."
"What?"
"Haven't you realized...This whole program has been Tom's idea of getting us together. My guess is he wasn't alone."
"I'll..." Kathryn's blush deepened as his hands gently glided down her neck. "What is this program..." She tried to sound in control, but her voice--and resolution--wavered.
"This part is the Royal Neameyerian Wedding Ceremony," he said with a straight face--controlling his urge to close the short distance between them and continue with the ceremony.
"The what?"
Chakotay laughed, "Neameyerian Wedding Ceremony. The Royal couple are disrobed, escorted to a room...and while the tribe dances outside...they well...um...you know." He dropped his hand, and walked to the door. "I can open this door and declare..." He paused, then laughed. "I don't remember the exact phrase...but I basically announce that we have rejected each other."
Kathryn looked away, focusing on anything but the man standing near the door. "I supposed that would be for the best," she said, though she didn't sound very convincing.
Chakotay watched her. "If you're sure," he said. "They could demand some type of ritual in its place or the program could simply end."
Kathryn considered this. "Do it."
Chakotay nodded then smiled, his dimples nearly weakening the little resolve she had left. "For the record, Kathryn. I would never reject you."
Kathryn felt her entire body flushing. Words failed her as Chakotay stepped outside the hut and made the announcement.
The chieftain appeared almost immediately with an entourage of several spear-bearing guards. They forced Chakotay back into the hut and tied his left wrist to Kathryn's right wrist.
"If that is your choice, than you must prove the truth of your claim!" the Chief announced.
"What?!" Kathryn gasped.
"Silence!" he ordered, piercing the uncooperative couple with a glare. He then raised his colored staff into the air and the couple were ushered out of the hut and into another larger one.
Kathryn's suspicions flared at the large central arena. As she drew closer she saw that it was what appeared to be warm mud. Her fears were confirmed when one of the guards pushed them into the dark, murky substance. She had difficulty getting her footing, and because their arms were tied with the soft strip, she took Chakotay down with her.
A large rack of sharply pointed spears hung high above the muddy area. It dropped several feet and stopped.
"You will fight! Or you will perform the sacred Dance of Progration! Or you will die!" the chief announced. With that he and his guards left the room. Kathryn and Chakotay were left to stare with stunned expressions at one another. When neither had moved after several seconds, the rack descended another few inches.
Kathryn reached to her side, and picked up a handful of mud. It was warm, and oozed between her fingers, and she suddenly had a very bad idea. She brought the hand up in the direction of her first officer, and slowly and carefully ran the mess down his face.
"Ohh, Kathryn," he chuckled, "you're in trouble now!" He grabbed her wrists, and pinned her beneath him, with one hand while the other scooped up some mud and worked it into her hair.
She gasped, suddenly realizing how close he was, how dangerous this play fighting in the mud was, how utterly aware she'd become of her femininity and his maleness. He felt it too, and with the same degree of precision, he began to lower his head inch by tantalizing inch, until it hovered just above her own, "what do you say, we call a truce?"
"Agreed," she smiled at him, but it only lasted a second until his lips closed over her own, and the whole ridiculous program was forgotten.
Kathryn laughed as her lips and hands slipped off him. "I refuse to kiss you." Her grin grew wicked behind the mud. "Until you have taken a bath."
Chakotay grinned at her and raised his eyebrows, "You, Captain are filthy." His finger scraped some mud off her belly to prove his point.
She ran her finger along his cheek. "I hear mud is healthy...But this is ridiculous."
"Agreed." He looked around. "Computer freeze program." To their surprise, the computer chirped in acknowledgment. "Save and end..." The images disappeared...As did the mud. Neither were aware of the yellow gridlines as their lips met again.
#
#
Tuvok was reviewing the days security records when his console beeped. It was one of the newer programs, one that he'd been testing before presenting it to the captain. It was the Holodeck Egress Alert. When he'd mentioned the possibility of installing such a system to Lieutenant Torres, she'd accused him of wishing to spoil everyone's fun by monitoring their holodeck time. Of course the Lieutenant had been joking, nevertheless, Tuvok had continued the project privately in an effort to determine whether or not the system would be useful. Holodeck problems were not unheard of occurrences, and in his opinion it never hurt to be prepared.
Pressing the pad that would shut off the audible alert, he consulted the read-out. Though private holodeck excursions were limited to 2 hours, holodeck 2 had been reserved for Commander Chakotay 4 hours and 47 minutes earlier. Since that time, the program had continued to run without interruption. During the entire run of the program, it had not accepted most voice commands. Curious.
Sensor readings indicated that Captain Janeway was present on holodeck 2 as well. As Chief of Security, his primary concern was for the safety of the ship and its officers. He thought briefly of Lieutenant Torres' words, but his duty won out. He would beam his superior officers to the corridor outside of the holodeck. It would be the most logical course of action.
He activated the proper system and set about the task. Just as he prepared to punch the key, the program deactivated. He frowned when after nearly a minute the room was still occupied. And the state of the occupants' vital signs were....odd. Perhaps a beam-out to sickbay would be more prudent.
"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," the Doctor replied in answer to Tuvok's hail. Tuvok calmly alerted him that he had beamed the captain and commander to sickbay.
"That's all very interesting, Mr. Tuvok. Perhaps they are invisible?" the Doctor replied, moving around the otherwise empty sickbay. Then his eyes lit on the comm-badges--one lay neatly on each biobed.
Tuvok was off the bridge, and en route to the holodecks before the Doctor could finish his statement. If his captain and commander were in danger, it was his duty to intervene.
#
#
Kathryn jumped back--putting several feet between herself and her second in command. "What, what's wrong?" For a fleeting second he thought she'd changed her mind.
"I heard something, it sounded like..."
"Captain," Tuvok looked at his captain, and then quickly changed the focused his attention on Chakotay, "Commander." He raised an eyebrow at their state of dress, or lack thereof. The room was chilly, he noted, yet the duo seemed heated, and were sweating. He cleared his throat, "I had been made aware that the holodeck was not responding to voice commands, I came down to ensure that you were not in any danger."
"We seem to have managed to deactivate the program, however, as you can see, our clothes have disappeared," Chakotay glanced down at his naked form.
"I will arrange to beam you to your respective quarters, or perhaps..." he looked at each of them significantly.
"That's fine Tuvok," Kathryn jumped in quickly. "Mr. Chakotay, I have enjoyed this excursion, and I would look forward to discussing my impressions of it with you later, over coffee in my quarters perhaps."
Chakotay had to struggle not to laugh at her sudden formality, yet he agreed, and smiled at her before the his dissolved in the warmth of a transporter beam.
#
#
Kathryn was trying not to laugh as she read Tuvok's report. A glance at her second-in-command showed that he to was trying to remain solemn. She gave up and started to laugh. Soon they both were. She leaned against him burying her head in his chest and found herself lost in his arms...again.
"We'll never get any work done, if we keep ending up doing this..." She kissed him.
He smiled. "Actually, I think we've done a lot. Now...What are we going to do with Tom?"
"You said you had some ideas...If I remember correctly."
His grin grew evil. "I have one...He and B'Elanna have the..." He leaned over and whispered his plan in his ear.
She nodded her head in appreciation. "I like it...Now, what about..." She looked at him shyly. "What about us?"
He took her hand and gazed at it. "If Tuvok hadn't interrupted...We would have." He brought her hand to his lips. "I love you Kathryn. I believe...*know* we can make this work. And after today, I think the crew knows that too."
She smiled then gasped when he began to suck on her fingers. "I...Two more reports and we can continue what we were doing earlier..." She took her hand back and handed him a padd. "On second thought make that one more report."
#
#
Tom looked at a reluctant B'Elanna. "You'll enjoy this..."
She glared at him. "That's what you said the last time. I was seasick..." She did enter when the doors open.
Tom looked around as he stepped inside, "What the...Computer end program..."
No response except the doors closed behind them.
They were standing outside an inn on a mountainside by a river.
"Hey, this looks fun." The half-Klingon grinned as she noticed the two hats and a piece of paper lying on a bench. She put on one fedora and handed the other Tom. "A treasure hunt." She studied the map as he watched in growing apprehension.
"B'Elanna...You don't understand...This isn't..."
"Come on. We should head in this direction..."
She was off down the trail before Tom could say anything. He looked around again then took off after her.