Rating: PG-13
The door to Flyer's living quarters had barely closed behind him when Tom darted back out into the main cabin to rummage through one of the storage lockers. "Aha!" His eyes lit up when he found what he was looking for. B'Elanna would like these. He grabbed a couple boxes.
Chakotay had stalked over to the door and was waiting for him as he reached it, an agitated look on his face. "Here."
"Oof!" Tom grunted as Chakotay shoved a small box into his gut.
"Take it with you this time."
Tom fumbled with his armload of supplies so he could grab the box. He flipped it over in his hand and saw it was the field med kit. "Thanks." Without thinking added, "You sure you won't need..." He trailed off as he looked up and noticed his comment was met with twin raised eyebrows from Janeway and Chakotay. "Uh, thanks." He blushed as he tucked it under his arm and dashed back out the door.
Chakotay sighed and turned to the com-panel. He jabbed at the options on the screen. Fortunately the material was designed to withstand a phaser blast and it held up under his onslaught. In sharp contrast to his mood, gentle classical music filled the cabin.
Kathryn watched him out of the corner of her eye. They were a week into their shore leave/trade mission, with a week still to go, and Chakotay was doing a worse job of relaxing than she was.
He had his back to her, no doubt collecting himself before returning to the table.
Kathryn looked at the table as he sat down. She slid her rook across the board to threaten his queen. "You're the one who said it would be fun to spend some time with them away from the ship."
"We had fun on our last stop." Chakotay pushed a pawn forward to block the rook. "It's the time in between that's...boring."
Kathryn looked up from the game, her rook paused in mid-air. "Boring? Wasn't it also your idea to play chess instead of reading?" The rook came to rest on the pawn's square and she swept his piece off the board. "Or is it just the company you find boring?"
Chakotay was watching her and listening at the same time, not doing either particularly well. He was about to pick up his queen when she made the last comment and he faltered. He looked up and met her eyes. "That's beneath you, Kathryn." He started to move his piece again.
Her expression was blank and guileless. "I don't know what you mean."
He gave her a stern look. "Your blatant attempt at distraction. It won't work." He picked up his queen and exchanged it for her rook. He sat back with a satisfied grin after setting her piece on the edge of the board.
Kathryn smiled back and nodded. "I'm certainly glad I don't distract you. It could have all sorts of consequences - on the bridge for example." Her hand circled the board as she seemed to consider her next move. Then it came to rest on her bishop, tucked away on her side of the board.
Chakotay watched as she slowly dragged the piece out through her lines and across the board, straight at his queen. He winced as he realized he'd blundered into a trap.
Kathryn paused just shy of the queen, looked up at Chakotay, and winked.
He looked away as she removed his queen from the board. "Maybe I am just a little distracted."
"But not by me? Are the newlyweds getting to you?" She smirked.
Chakotay sighed and rubbed his forehead. He was not going to admit that Tom and B'Elanna's antics were affecting him. It was hardly a subject for polite conversation, especially not with Kathryn. "They've been married for over six months. They're hardly newlyweds."
Just then they heard a muffled thump against the wall separating them from the living quarters, followed by a cracking sound as if a bulkhead somewhere were giving way.
Kathryn rolled her eyes and then chuckled quietly. "It's a good thing that's an internal wall."
He grimaced and tightened his grip on the arms of his chair.
"Chakotay, in all the years I've known you, I never realized you were such a..."
He cut her off with a look.
She put up her hands in surrender and tapped on the console. "Computer, reinforce the bulkheads around the living quarters." As an afterthought she added, "And block all sound." She cocked her head at him as if to ask if that was satisfactory.
He nodded and looked back at the game board.
"Yet another crisis averted here in the Delta Quadrant," she commented dryly as Chakotay assessed his situation.
He muttered to himself as he studied the board. After several long, futile minutes he looked up. "You've got me...again." He tipped his king over and laid it on the board. Then he reached across and offered his hand. "At least I lose slower with chess than with poker."
Kathryn grinned and shook his hand. "That's 46, no, 47 cups of coffee you owe me."
He smiled at her as he collected their cups. "This is going to be a long trip."
Lydia Anderson watched the shuttle approach Voyager's hanger. It would be good to have the senior staff home again. Not that Tuvok wasn't a good captain. He had everyone's complete confidence, but he lacked the "human" touch of the captain.
The shuttlebay doors opened and Tuvok entered just as the Delta Flyer touched down. "Report, Ensign."
"All systems are functioning normally, Sir." Lydia stepped to the side. "Would you like to take the controls?"
Tuvok shook his head. "That will not be necessary, Ensign."
Lydia felt a surge of pride as she resumed her station. From Tuvok an assessment that you were doing an adequate job was a compliment.
She watched from her post as the Flyer's door opened and she saw Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. They were talking over their shoulders to someone. The captain laughed and stepped out. Chakotay walked at her side, an equally large grin on his face.
Lieutenants Paris and Torres followed at a distance. Lydia observed that Paris had a slight limp and his wife was supporting him. She tapped on her console, issuing a report to Sickbay.
Tuvok noticed her and raised an eyebrow.
Lydia shifted her weight. "I'm sorry Sir, I wasn't informed there was a medical emergency on the away team or I would have alerted Sickbay earlier."
Tuvok nodded. "Communications were open. They had the opportunity to inform Voyager. I suspect -"
He was interrupted by the captain's arrival.
Janeway clapped him on the shoulder. "How's my ship, Tuvok? Have you been taking good care of her?"
Tuvok's eyebrow twitched at the question. "Indeed. It is good to see you all back safely."
She watched Chakotay greet Tuvok also.
"You called the Doc? Tuvok!" Paris whined.
Captain Janeway and Chakotay turned to see what all the fuss was about. The Doctor had materialized and was running a tricorder over Mr. Paris.
Lydia was about to say something when Tuvok answered. "Mr. Paris, although you failed to report the medical situation, Ensign Anderson noticed your injury and took the appropriate action. You should thank her for her diligence and attention to her duties." He fixed Paris with a stern gaze.
Paris looked sheepish and turned back to Anderson. "Thanks, Ensign."
Lydia nodded back.
The Doctor finished his scans and snorted. "I believe you'll survive until you reach Sickbay, Mr. Paris. I believe you know the way." He turned away from Paris. "Ensign, if you'd be so kind."
Lydia nodded. "Of course, Sir." A moment later, the Doctor shimmered out of the shuttlebay, leaving Paris to hobble to Sickbay with his wife's help.
"I told you to fly slower to give that time to heal." She heard Torres say as they walked past.
"It's only a sprain," he replied.
Lydia kept her head down and studied her console until they all left. As soon as the doors slid shut, she notified the shuttle maintenance crews. She had just finished her log entries when the crew arrived.
The man in the lead raised his hand to wave at her. "Anderson! How's our baby?"
"Seems to be all in one piece. Can't say the same for Paris. He looked a bit worse for wear."
Ensign Ben Ashmore led his team of three engineers onto the shuttle to survey the condition. Crewman Boylan started a check on navigation and propulsion while Crewman Jor started diagnostics on life support.
Lydia and Ben toured the ship making notes of what else needed to be repaired or restocked. When they got to the crew quarters, they stopped and stared at the readings.
Superficially, the rooms looked ok, but when they scanned them there were signs of stress in the walls of one. Also, a number of items in that room had recently been replicated, but they were the same items listed on the manifest.
Lydia looked confused by the findings. "They didn't report any unusual occurrences, but it looks like this part of the Flyer sustained battle damage somehow."
Ben chuckled causing Lydia to look at him strangely. "I guess you never worked on deck 9, section 12?"
She shook her head no.
"I've seen this before. The only battle damage was an enthusiastic Klingon."
"Oh," Lydia said. Then she started to blush. "Oh." She stifled a laugh. "I'd heard rumors, but I always thought people were exaggerating." She wondered how the captain and commander put up with it for two weeks, but she kept the speculation to herself. Instead she said, "I'm glad you're delivering the report to Lieutenant Torres and not me."
Ben winked at her. "I have a sure fire plan, developed over many years. Drop the PADD on her desk while she's out and run."
They laughed together and then turned their attention back to scanning. They walked on through the shuttle and logged the work that needed to be done. When they had finished Lydia prepared to leave and attend to her other duties.
"Are you coming to Sandrine's tonight?" Ben asked.
"Wouldn't miss it. I've already got my present wrapped." She waved to him and exited the Flyer.
Boylan turned to Jor. "Nobody said anything about presents."
Jor rolled her eyes. Even if he was her friend, Boylan was a typical man. "It's her birthday party. Of course there will be presents."
"But I barely know Celes."
"Boylan, I'm not your mom or your wife. If you want to find out what she likes, ask someone who knows her."
"Ok, ok." He put his hands up and backed away. He'd ask Neelix after their shift was over. He always knew what everyone liked.
Jor chuckled and went back to her own work.
William McKenzie strolled down the corridor on his way to deliver a report to Tuvok. He didn't often get to play a key role in the department, but with Tuvok in command for the last two weeks, posts had been shuffled around. He hoped this might lead to the chance to be promoted out of obscurity.
He stepped onto the turbolift and ordered it to the bridge. It stopped two floors later and the doors opened. He saw the captain and commander approaching.
"I still can't believe you swallowed that concoction," Chakotay said.
"The Doctor confirmed my readings. It was harmless to humans, and I'm sure Neelix can make something more palatable out of it."
McKenzie stepped to the back of the lift as they walked in. "Going to the bridge, Captain?"
"No, not yet. Deck 3," Janeway told the computer. "I have to recover from my vacation first."
Chakotay was aware of McKenzie's career plans since they had discussed them during personnel reviews. "Tuvok will still be in command for another day. So I guess that means you're still in charge of Gamma shift." He prodded the captain.
"Is that so, Mr. McKenzie?" Janeway held out her hand for the PADD he carried. He handed it to her and she took a moment to scroll through his report. "Looks like you've been taking good care of my ship while I was away. Keep it up."
She handed him back the PADD just as the doors opened.
"Thank you, Captain."
She waved and she and Chakotay headed down the corridor and out of sight.
McKenzie let out a slow breath and sagged against the back of the turbolift. He'd served with the captain for over six years now, but it still made him nervous when he ran into her unexpectedly. At least he hadn't called her "Ma'am."
He straightened up as the doors opened. Tuvok was in the "big chair" studying his console. McKenzie approached him and crisply delivered his report. He resisted the urge to fidget as Tuvok scanned through it.
Tuvok queried him about a detail here and there on the report, but he seemed satisfied, and McKenzie was relieved.
His shift now over, McKenzie headed to the Messhall for dinner. He hoped Neelix wasn't experimenting yet with whatever the captain had sampled. But after spending most of his rations for the month on a birthday present and lost more in a poker game, he was on a budget, and that meant the Messhall.
He looked around as he picked up a tray got into line. The Messhall was just starting to fill up from the shift change. Billy waved at him from a table and he returned the wave. The line was moving along slowly, and he noticed the problem up ahead.
Boylan was chatting with Neelix. He couldn't hear about what. Hopefully it wasn't the new mystery food. "What's the special tonight, Neelix?" he called out to get his attention.
Neelix looked up and noticed for the first time the line that had formed. "I'll come talk to you more about this later." He patted Boylan on the shoulder, then he hustled back to his pots of food.
"Mr. McKenzie, I'm so sorry I missed you come in."
"It's no trouble, Neelix. What have we got tonight?"
Neelix began to tick off the dishes and nothing new or dangerous leaped out at McKenzie. He held his tray out with blind faith and Neelix filled it for him. It made Neelix happy when people took his recommendations and over the years, he was getting better at it.
McKenzie slid into a seat next to Billy Telfer leaving another open for Celes when she showed up.
"I can't believe you're eating in here again," Billy said.
"Since I blew my credits on the little party tonight, same as you, here I am." The two of them chuckled about their mutual predicament.
"I heard the captain brought back some highly nutritious food products from their trade mission," Billy said.
McKenzie waggled his eyebrows. "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die?" The Messhall food was never so bad that it couldn't get worse. Although since the demise of the Leola Root, it was much less offensive.
"Something like that. I heard they weren't sure it was even safe for humans."
"No, I heard the Doctor certified it safe, but Chakotay was hoping Neelix could work some miracle with it."
The both said in unison, "But it's very nutritious." Then they both dissolved into laughter at the old joke.
"Is there room for me?" Celes asked. She was flanked by Ben and Lydia.
"Of course. We saved a seat for the birthday girl," Billy answered.
"Thank you." She sat down and arranged her tray. The others sat too. "I take it you were discussing the menu."
"Always," McKenzie replied.
"I transported something new from the Flyer to Sickbay for analysis," Ben said.
"It was found to be nutritious and only somewhat unpalatable," McKenzie filled in.
"I guess we can expect to see a lot of it soon," Lydia said.
They dug into their food and ate in silence for a couple minutes.
"I heard they had some sort of injuries on the mission. Was everyone all right?" Telfer asked.
Celes nodded. "I was dropping off some data for the Doctor when Paris came in." She chuckled. "It was just his 'regular checkup'." She made air quotes around it and the others laughed too.
Lydia sat back and listened as the others swapped information they had gleaned about the away mission. Nothing stayed secret on this ship for long. Well, maybe one thing.
Lydia watched at the doors opened and the command team walked in. It might have been her imagination, but they seemed to always be in each other's personal space. Right now Chakotay had his arm on the captain's elbow as she moved along the line. Then he grabbed two trays and handed her one.
They were talking together the whole time. Janeway didn't ask him for anything, he just knew, and she never paused in her conversation to mention it. They just flowed along together through the line and then over to a table.
Lydia looked away when Celes prodded her with the back of her fork to get her attention.
"You'll be there at 20:00?" Celes asked.
"Of course, I wouldn't miss it," Lydia replied. Her eyes drifted back over to the command team. She hoped they had enjoyed their vacation.
THE END
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