Paramount owns all...
But, since they refuse to bring our favorite twosome together...Somebody had to.
Warning: High fluff content.
Chakotay fussed with the schedule. There were times when it seemed like Voyager's schedule was out to get him...This time Ensign Jasmyne Deryl had broken her leg while on shore leave and been placed on restricted duty. Now the engineering schedule needed shuffling. He made the final adjustments, at least until something else needed changing: then glanced at his chronometer. Just over five hours until he beamed to the planet's surface for his shore leave.
He was starting the monthly discipline reports when his doorchime rang. "Come in."
"Commander, may I speak with you?" Tuvok asked as he entered the First Officer's office.
"Yes?"
"Captain Janeway has announced that she doesn't plan to take her scheduled shore leave so she can get caught up."
"Has she?" Chakotay grumbled. "We'll see. I'll talk to her." He stood and followed the Vulcan out. He reached for his comm-badge...but decided not to notify her of the approaching war party. He entered his over-ride codes, much to Tuvok's chagrin, and boldly marched into the Captain's ready room.
"Captain Janeway," he announced.
She looked up from the PADD she was reading and noted both officers standing there. "Ahh. Commander, is there a problem." So Tuvok had told. She'd been scheduled for shoreleave...when the Vulcan had reminded her, she had informed him that she wouldn't be going. She closed her eyes, then refocused them on her First Officer.
"I believe you are suppose to be on shoreleave." Chakotay said flatly, with a tinge of annoyance in his eyes.
She shrugged. "This is a better use of my time..."
He walked over and took the PADD from her hand. "Will you go willing, or shall I speak to the Doctor."
His trump card. She nodded--the last thing she wanted was the Doctor to order her to go. "I'll finish my scheduled shore-leave on the planet." She stood. "I'll just go to my quarters to pick up some supplies."
"Very good, Kathryn." Chakotay smiled slightly before looking at Tuvok, "Commander Tuvok, if she has not beamed down to the planet in 15 minutes, have security escort her to the transporter room."
"Very good, sir." Tuvok looked at both officers and shook his head slightly.
Chakotay watched her leave. *Typical.*
#
#
Kathryn smiled slightly. She had been all ready to go on shoreleave, but at the last minute had just decided not to go. She couldn't waste her time...She looked at her chronometer. Ten minutes before Tuvok sent security after her...or worse, Chakotay. She changed quickly into jeans and a short sleeved dark blue shirt. She grabbed her supplies--food, water, a picnic blanket, a sketch pad, and pencils: and stuffed them into a small command-red back-pack.
She quickly hurried to transporter room one. She was not surprised to find Tuvok there.
"There are four hours left of my shore-leave. I *shall* not stay down there past my allotted time."
"Very good Captain." She stepped on the pad and disappeared.
She looked around the beam-in point. The two security officers assigned to the area greeted her. It was a lovely site...but there were too many people around. The site picked was ideal for shore leave. The crew could relax or play. There was even a lake for swimming. Most of the crew spent their time here. A few had wandered into the nearby hills.
Kathryn wanted to be alone. Anyway her presence usually put a damper on things--she could hear the crew quite down as she walked by and said hi. She glanced around, before picking a direction to walk--toward a small range of yellow hills.
She walked for about an hour, before she found a place to settle. Another lake, but quieter...calmer...more peaceful. She spread the blanket and sat down. She was soon asleep.
#
#
She woke with a start and looked around. A flock of large birds...Bird-like creatures, she reminded herself...was arriving. She counted thirty, forty individuals, more. She sat up to watch.
They noisily, landed along the shore. Some as close as ten meters from her. The meter-high white-birds were ignoring her. She reached for her sketch pad and started to sketch, paying attention to the black on the tips of the wings; that about half had scarlet-red feathers along their long graceful necks.
#
#
Chakotay looked at Tuvok as he entered the transporter room. "Yes?"
"We've been unable to contact Captain Janeway for the past fifteen minutes."
"Can you get a transporter lock?"
Harry shook his head, "No sir. The same interference that is blocking communication is also preventing us from getting a lock on her. We can barely make out her lifesigns..."
"I'll go," Chakotay said. "I'm scheduled for shore leave in an hour anyway." He grinned. "Give me twenty minutes."
He left the transporter room and returned within the allotted time in civies and with a small backpack. He stopped quickly at the console to enter some data, then walked over to the pad. "Beam me in as close to her as you can."
"It will be about three kilometers away from her current location. I'm showing a lot of other lifeforms in her area...but the data is erratic." Harry set the coordinates and looked at the Commander. With a nod, he vanished.
#
#
He glanced around quickly as he scanned the area. Picking up his gear, he started walking briskly toward where she was. He'd only traveled about half-a-kilometer when he noticed that his tricorder readings were becoming inconsistent. Something in the rocks, most likely he thought as he tried to get a reading on the hills. There was an animal trail that lead in the general direction of where the captain was. It was easier than scrambling over the boulders that littered the way. The yellow rocks glistened in the late morning sun. A distant raucous cry caused him to hurry...But not in concern.
The trail leveled out, the small stream he was following started to widen as he approached a lake. The noise level increased.
He paused in wonder at the sight of the lake--the shoreline covered with hundreds of white birds. The splashes of red making a spectacular contrast to the white of the birds and the shimmering blue of the lake. He watched in fascination as they leapt into the air and danced around each other. A courtship dance of some sort.
He looked around the lake several times before he spotted her. She was sitting about 100 meters away. Her attention focused on the birds. She was looking at something in her lap, then back at the birds. He watched her for several minutes before starting to approach her.
The birds were so engrossed in their dance that only those he came close to were upset. They would squawk at him, before returning their attention to their individual partners.
He was now ten meters from her. She hadn't seen him yet, but he recognized that she was drawing the scene around her.
The dance changed. A soft cooing, instead of loud raucous sounds filled the air. The dance changed too. The birds were no longer leaping in the air, but entwining their necks and preening each other.
"Kathryn," he said quietly, when he was directly behind her.
Startled, she jumped up--dropping her pad of paper and pencil. "Chakotay?" She didn't look displeased to see him. She pushed her hair back. Chakotay smiled, it wasn't often that he was privileged to see it loose.
"Your comm-badge wasn't working. Tuvok was worried when you didn't report in."
She looked puzzled, then sad as she realized her shoreleave was up. "I lost track of time. I'm sorry you had to come out here to find me."
He smiled. "It was worth it. If just to watch this." He pointed to the birds. She nodded, as she started to gather her supplies up.
"You don't have to go. According to the schedule, you still have some time left."
"You didn't?" She knew he had adjusted the leave schedule.
He shrugged in acknowledgment. "If it was anybody else you would have insisted..."
"Possibly, but I'm the Captain. Anyway, we both shouldn't be here at the same time..."
"Tuvok is there. Last I checked he was fully qualified..."
She sighed, "Very well *Commander.*" She sat down and picked up her pad and started sketching again. She pretended not to notice as he sat down on her blanket and proceeded to make himself comfortable.
He kneeled behind her and looked over her shoulder to watch what she was doing. She had already drawn three sketches and was adding a fourth.
"Please, Chakotay. You're making me nervous."
He smiled, "What, fearless Captain Kathryn Janeway nervous of someone looking over her shoulder?" He leaned closer teasing her. "Not bad. You've got the knees wrong on this one..." He reached around her to point to one of birds. The contact made them both jump slightly. He pulled back, but she could still feel his breath on her neck.
Her pencil stopped moving, as she forced her breathing back under control. She bent her head and pretended to be studying her drawings. Anything to remain busy, to not let her thoughts wander.
She erased the legs and quickly sketched the replacements. "Here, is this better."
Chakotay looked up in surprise. He had closed his eyes and was trying to meditate. To no avail, he was still reacting to her closeness. He looked at the drawing, trying to maintain his distance. "Hmm. Much better." It didn't work, he found his cheek next to her ear.
Kathryn Janeway struggled to not react to his mouth so near hers. And she might have succeed if the birds hadn't shrieked loudly, startling them. She leaned back and found herself wrapped in his arms.
"Kathryn," he whispered huskily. She couldn't--didn't--want to resist the longing in his voice, she leaned back more.
Turning her head, she gently touched his lips with hers.
Three years of hidden love and desire erupted, the second kiss brought them together with an intensity that surprised both of them, but soon all coherent thoughts were lost. Kathryn found herself under her first officer, her hands working to remove his clothing, aware his hands were removing hers.
#
#
She woke slowly, her mind groggy, arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She remembered where they were and looked around. The sun was setting behind the hills on the far side of the lake. The sky was a fiery orange. Outside of some quite twitterings and the rustling of the leaves, it was quiet. She noticed the birds were also gone. She felt his arms tighten as he opened his eyes.
"Hello," he whispered in her ear, as he started to nibble on it.
She moaned as she pulled away. "Chakotay..." His hands on her breasts were driving her wild. "We can't...We need to get back to the ship."
He grunted in agreement and pulled his arms away from her. She shyly reached for her clothes, wondering why she was shy now--of all times. Chakotay grinned at her as he walked over to the water to rinse. She couldn't help but admire his backside...She turned away, bright red.
He kept his back toward her, as she approached the water. He smiled at the memory of their lovemaking...
Their quiet reverie and bath was interrupted by an incessant chirrip. Chakotay dashed over to his clothes and found his communicator. "Yes," he said breathlessly, sneaking a glance at his Captain, who was getting dressed.
"Commander, the interference in your area has disappeared. We can beam you back to the ship..."
"Ahh. Tuvok." He looked at Kathryn who was finishing buttoning her shirt--she grinned at him, and raised her eyebrows--he was still not dressed. "Let us..." He blushed--well, the sensors would have told Tuvok and the crew they were together. "Gather up our gear. Give us five minutes. Chakotay out."
He quickly started dressing as she gathered up her materials.
Just before he contacted the ship, she took his hands and smiled. "Chakotay...I need...To think about this. I want this to work, but the ship..."
"Must come first." He kissed her. "I understand." Tapping his comm-badge, he said, "Chakotay to Voyager. Two to beam up."
#
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Harry greeted them at the transporter with a smile. "Have a good time Captain?" He grinned at her blush. Both officers quickly went their separate ways.
#
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Kathryn slept badly. Her restless mind going over the events of the day. His arms around her. Finally she gave up and replicated a cup of coffee. All those reports that she hadn't finish--were waiting in her ready room for her attention. She dressed and made her way to the bridge--two hours early.
"Good-morning, Captain." Lieutenant Rollins said as she entered the bridge. It wasn't that unusual to see her there early.
She nodded. "I'll be in my ready-room." She sighed and added for herself, *doing reports.*
"Aye Captain." Rollins relaxed as he sat back down.
#
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Chakotay slept just as well, finally giving up and working at his desk in his quarters.
#
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Tom sat down hard in his chair and looked around the briefing room. He winked at Harry and grinned at B'Elanna.
Janeway hid a yawn, but Chakotay still noticed. He smiled, so she had slept as badly as he had.
Kathryn saw him smile, and it was only with great will-power that she didn't respond.
The meeting was short, not much on the schedule. She looked at her PADD, then her staff. "There's an additional item I'd like to add to the agenda." This time she did smile. "We've never developed a complete policy on..." She paused. "On fraternization."
Tom smiled. "Captain, the policy of *as long as it doesn't interfere with ship's operations* seems to be working fine...With the exception of Ensigns Deryl and Pierce." Theirs had been a bad break-up a year ago. "Why change something that works."
The others nodded in agreement. Janeway looked at Tuvok, who--if he hadn't been Vulcan--would have smiled. He instead cocked an eyebrow. "Our situation here is unique."
Tom cut in, "He's right, but the crew has been worried that *certain* parties have not been included in the policy." He winked at B'Elanna. She just glared at him. Brazen idiot, was her only thought. But she continued to watch fascinated. She'd never seen Chakotay look so flustered. She noticed Harry grinning. She'd have to ask him later what he knew.
Kathryn felt her face start to flush--she should have realized her staff would recognize the reasoning behind this discussion, she allowed herself a quick glance at her first officer--the cause of all this. He winked at her.
Tom looked away with a smirk. A not-so gentle kick to his shin, changed the look to near pain.
"Thank-you for your insights." The Captain stood. "It's been...most informative. Harry, I'd like a report on the interference yesterday." She smiled as the ensign blushed and acknowledged her request. "Dismissed."
No one missed the fact that Chakotay was slow leaving his chair--the others just hurried out the door. B'Elanna walked behind Tom, making sure he didn't turn around or say anything.
Janeway shook her head as he came up behind her, "What was that about, Captain?"
"I...I'll explain over dinner."
"A long dinner?"
She grinned as she reached down to pick up the PADDs lying on the desk. "Maybe." She winked at him, as she turned to leave the briefing room.