Sequel to Fortune's Foe and Fortune's Dream.
Disclaimer: Paramount owns all...and probably have stock in a foam rubber factory too. We should all know by now this is not how they want the characters to behave...
Kathryn had yawned three times and avoided answering questions from the five crewmembers she passed on her way to her quarters. Despite the Doctor's *orders*, she was just planning on showering, then looking at the daily engineering report. Her door opened on her arrival and she entered.
"Hello, Kathryn," a low voice said. "About time."
She couldn't stifle the fourth yawn, but she did smile. "Hello, yourself. Checking up on me?"
"Always," Chakotay stepped out of the dark corner carrying a small tray. "The Doctor assigned me to make sure you ate something and got some sleep."
"He must be feeling better..." She stared at him for several seconds, then shook her head.
Chakotay chuckled as he guided her over to her chair and placed the food tray on a small table. "Eat."
"Funny," she said after taking a spoonful of soup. "Eighteen months ago I had been so sure I was right...I didn't listen to you or...Or Kes." She closed her eyes at the memory of the young--but so wise Ocampan who had simply stated that the Captain was denying the Doctor a chance to grow by denying him the opportunity to grieve and come to terms with his choice.
"I'm not one to say I told you so..." He smiled at her. She glared at him then laughed.
"I'd wanted to spare him the pain..." She frowned and stared off at the far wall.
"Kath..." His voice trailed off as he knelt down on the floor beside her. "This isn't about the Doctor is it?"
She shook her head. "I wanted to tell him he wasn't alone--that kind of choice is something that happens too often..."
"Especially to Captains." He squeezed her hand, but didn't push for more explanation. She only inclined her head in acknowledgement.
"You make the decision and then you wonder if you made the right one..." She squeezed his hand in return. "But Seven, you, and Kes were right. The Doctor is more than just a hologram...I can't protect him from the worst of being human..." She yawned again.
He cocked his head. "Seven? I'd like to hear this...But..." He interrupted her before she could speak. "But first you need to sleep." He handed her the spoon. "And eat..."
"Yes, mother." She smiled at him as she took another spoonful.
#
B'Elanna looked around sick-bay with a frown. For two weeks they'd been babysitting the Doctor. And during that time, Tom had been doing double shifts--one as pilot and one as medic. Leaving them no time together. He was studying something in the back--probably another of the many research projects the Doctor had left.
"Hello," she said when she was almost right behind him.
"Hi there," Tom was smiling when he turned around. "Long time no see..." He ran a finger along her face. "I've missed you."
"I'm sure you have. Any chance of getting off early?"
"Possibly. I just need to finish with this, and update the logs..." Tom sighed. "I'm a pilot..."
"Not a doctor--so you keep saying. How's he doing?"
"He was in here today, he seemed his usual ascerbic self. Asking a lot of questions..." Tom typed something on his keyboard. "I think he'll be kicking me out of here real soon. But not soon enough."
She laughed. "Good..." She frowned slightly. "I wish we'd never altered his program to allow for this growth..."
Tom took her hand. "You still upset with him?"
B'Elanna nodded. "He had no right..." Then she paused, her eyes closed. "Funny--he had no right to treat me against my wishes--but we did the same thing, sort-of...Didn't we?"
"I hated ethical questions at the academy. Damned if you do, damned if you don't...They aren't any more pleasant in real life--worse in fact."
"I'm alive--and very happy that is true--but...but..."
"Me too..." He again ran his finger along her cheek. "You'd better leave before I do something that might get me in further trouble with the Doctor..."
"And what might that be?" She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"You don't want to know."
"Ah...But maybe I do..." She kissed him on the cheek quickly then bolted. Tom rubbed his cheek and began humming.
She drew closer, her arms wrapping around his neck, her lips moving tantalizing closer to his. She let him pull her tight to his chest as their mouths met...
"Warning, you have ten minutes left..."
Kathryn pulled back with a laugh. "Typical."
Chakotay released her with a returning grin. "Ten minutes--who is next?"
They both glanced down at her dress. "We can finish the story in my quarters. But now...Computer restore color to normal." She sighed with relief as the colors and skin tones returned to normal. She wasn't sure this black and white programming was necessary--but it could be interesting. "End and save program." The lights flickered then disappeared to reveal the paneling of the holodeck. She picked up the dreadful collar he'd ripped off minutes earlier.
"I think I see why Tom found this program so interesting." He chuckled as his hands strayed around her waist.
She stepped away from him and found her cloak--no way was she going to be seen wearing this gown around the ship. Chakotay took it from her and placed it around her shoulders. "To be continued?"
"Most definitely." She moved away from him as they stepped through the doors.
"Good evening, Captain, Commander," Tom said with a slight bow. "Enjoy your program?"
Kathryn smiled slightly as she pulled the cloak tighter. "It was relaxing."
"Ah...Commander..." Tom made a grand motion of wiping the right corner of his mouth. Janeway glanced up at Chakotay and blushed.
Chakotay self-consciously raised a hand and wiped his mouth. Tom just laughed when B'Elanna poked him in the ribs. and grabbed his arm to drag him into the holodeck.
"How could you do that?" B'Elanna asked accusingly while he ordered the computer to run his Sandrine program.
"Easy--anyway it was better me than anyone else." He was still smiling. "Hey, we've been looking for proof for a long time now.
B'Elanna picked up the pool cue with a flourish. "Helmboy, concentrate on this game--or I'll wipe the floor with you."
"Oh come on, weren't you the least bit curious how her lipstick ended up on his mouth?"
"Unlike you I have better things to worry about." She racked the balls and made her opening shot. "Anyway, I know of only one way..." She grinned as she watched the balls spread out over the table.
"Nice shot..." Tom studied the table critically. "Sure you want to play pool when there is a cosmos to be saved?"
"I thought you swore off Proton?"
"Well..." Tom felt sheepish. "I just felt...You would look...Ummm...B'Elanna..." He backed away from her--she was holding the pool stick like a spear pointed straight at him. "On the other hand, pool is a much safer game." She returned her attention to the table.
#
"Doctor?" Harry called out quietly as he entered sick-bay.
"Oh, Ensign. Is there a problem?" The Doctor put down the PADD and turned to face him.
"I stopped by to see how you were doing--B'Elanna wanted me to double check your holomatrix...No point in taking any chances." Harry pulled up the necessary data on the computer screen. "Have you experienced any problems?"
"No. Unless you mean having my advice ignored by some of my more senior patients?" The Doctor walked over to see the data himself.
"I meant with your program..."
"No...I have used my recent experience to develop a better understanding of Earth's history. The Twentieth Century was a fascinating period. The future always seemed to fascinate the people who lived at that time. I wonder what might have been if Starling had..."
"Who?"
"Starling--the man who stole the timeship..."
"Oh...Him." Harry grinned as he remembered his time in the Big Chair. "What ifs...Never my game."
The Doctor frowned. "No. It is a dangerous game...What if I had..." He stopped speaking. Harry reached out--but the Doctor raised his hand. "I'm all right. Just thinking...Remembering. If you don't mind? I'd like to be alone."
#
Jenny glanced down at the maroon goop that she'd been served and shook her head. "And you were saying it couldn't get worse?"
Megan laughed. "Well...He isn't serving leola root flambe tonight." She nodded toward a table on the far side. "I hear you can still see the scorch marks."
"Tuvok was not impressed."
"I wouldn't know," Megan retorted. "He looked pretty impressive holding that fire extinguisher." The two sisters giggled. "Did you see Susan this morning?"
Jenny nodded and smiled. "That was one satisfied looking woman."
"Who?"
Jenny lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned forward slightly. "Annette said that Mike saw her and..."
At this moment Seven stood and carried her tray carefully to the recycler. The Doctor had given her another assignment. Lesson thirty-two: small talk. He'd recommended she listen to the crew partake of this extraneous activity.
She did not find these conversations beneficial. The topics were irrelevant...
B'Elanna shook her head as she watched Tom sleep. They'd been gone only a couple of days...But wherever Tom and Tuvok had been, it had been months. She smiled. It did explain the exuberance of his greeting. Sure, he'd known about the time discrepancy--but when she'd arrived in sick-bay, he had hugged her, then kissed her..."Tom, has anybody told you recently you are a romantic?" He only grunted.
She leaned back against the headboard then noticed the remains of dinner. For four days Tom had eaten only his favorite foods--blowing replicator rations like mad. But after months of eating spiders, she couldn't blame him.
He rolled over pulling the blanket with him. "I see...Been sleeping alone too much recently. Well, helmboy..." She grabbed it and yanked it hard. "Time to learn to share again."
#
The Doctor put the PADD down on the biobed, placed his hands on hips then stared at his sitting patient. "I am well within my rights. Starfleet regulation..."
"Don't quote regs at me, Doctor," Janeway said as she hopped off the biobed. "I have a ship..."
"Captain. I'm just suggesting you take 48 hours off." He picked up the PADD and again handed it to her. "Now, we can do this the easy way...Or the hard way. Which will it be?"
"Doctor..." Her voice held a warning.
"Captain?" He retorted merrily. "The hard way, I see." He reached for his comm-badge.
"You win. Forty-eight hours...But I am *not* going to try this diet..." She shoved the offending PADD at him.
"Very well. Captain. I expect this to be forty-eight hours of relaxing--not catching up on reports."
"Yes, yes...fine..." She glared at him.
"I would have also recommended that Commander Chakotay take leave too...Ensign Kim is perfectly capable of handling command for two days...but, with Commander Tuvok and Ensign Paris on leave too..." He winked at her. "Yours may be the most watched flirtation in Starfleet history." Her glare intensified. "If you will excuse me Captain, but I have two cell cultures that need my immediate attention." He walked over to the incubator before he smiled.
#
"Mr. Vulcan! Mr. Vulcan!" Neelix loped after Tuvok. "I have a quick question."
Tuvok stopped walking and turned to face his detractor. "Mr. Neelix."
Neelix stopped and squirmed slightly. The Vulcan's penetrating eyes always made him feel uncomfortable. "I was trying to decide what to substitute for the spiders...They aren't in our database."
"That is understandable."
"I...Well, I thought the crew would appreciate trying this delicacy you discovered."
Tuvok quirked an eyebrow. "While I believe the crew appreciates your dedication to their morale." Neelix was beaming. "In this situation, this delicacy would be best...forgotten."
Neelix's face fell slightly, then he laughed. "I understand. You don't think adding leola root would help?"
"Mr. Neelix..." There was a slight pause. "No, I do not."
"Oh." He watched as the Vulcan walked away. "But that leaves me without a main course for dinner tonight," he said to no one as he turned and trotted back to his kitchen.
But he did have an idea for dessert.
#
Megan looked around the messhall. "It looks like Neelix is celebrating something," she said to her sister. "Which Talaxian holiday did I forget this time?"
Jenny shrugged. "I don't know. There wasn't anything posted. Maybe it's just to celebrate bringing the away-team back."
"Could be." The twins picked up their trays and walked to the counter. "I hear he decided to not treat us to these spiders..."
"After hearing Tom's description of them, I'd rather eat le...Oh, hi Neelix. How are you?" Jenny smiled at the Talaxian. "What's the red stuff?"
"Spaghetti." He picked up the tongs. "I had to make some substitutions."
Jenny took a deep breath and nodded. "Sure, I'll try it." She took the plate when he offered it. Whatever it really was, it smelled pretty good. "Thank-you." She watched as Megan took the same.
"I baked a cake to celebrated the return of the away-team. I'll be serving it in a few minutes."
Both ladies laughed. Neelix's cakes were usually palatable or better.
About five minutes later they were startled by a loud shriek followed by laughter. They turned to look.
B'Elanna was holding Tom against a wall while Neelix paraded around holding a cake with a 25 centimeter spider on top.
"Calm down Tom," Neelix begged. "It's Notoc chocolate."
#
Chakotay handed Kathryn a plate covered with a napkin. "Neelix was most insistent I bring this to you."
"Is this the cake I heard so much about?" She grinned as removed the napkin. "I wanted to see the spider."
"I missed it too. Tom told me it was the 'best damn spider he'd ever had.'"
"I can't imagine eating mostly spiders for so long." She took a bite of the cake. "Mmmmm. I'll have to let Neelix know to keep the recipe." She let him have a bite, and for the next several minutes they quietly finished the cake. When it was gone, Chakotay tossed the plate in the replicator.
"So, how's my ship?" She placed her bare feet in his lap.
"The same," he said as he started to massage her feet. Then suddenly he laughed and tugged at her right big toe. "This little piggy went to market..."
She started giggling. "Be serious, I return from this exile tomorrow...I need..." She couldn't finish, she was laughing so hard.