The Bet
Author: Theatrelady Author's note: Feedback would be greatly appreciated. You can contact me at theatre.lady@home.com. Captain Kathryn Janeway walked the corridors of the Federation Starship Voyager. All about her was silence. It was the night cycle on Voyager so most crew members had retired to their quarters for the night. But Kathryn Janeway could not sleep. It wasn't that she was not tired. She had put in a full day on the bridge and stayed several hours after her shift had ended to complete reports and deal with all the exacting details that only the captain could handle. She was tired and by all rights should be back in her quarters in bed. But tonight, she simply could not sleep. Maybe it was the fact that her birthday was coming up. Birthdays had always been a time of special private celebration in her family. The birthdays that had passed in the Delta Quadrant had been hard for her, far from her family. She had never really wanted to celebrate with her crew, although they had tried to make them special occasions for her. Those days had always reminded her of how far she was from loved ones. Loved ones. At that phrase, her thoughts turned to another, closer at hand. Chakotay. It wasn't surprising anymore to find her thoughts turning in that direction. Perhaps, if she were honest with herself, she would admit that he were most probably the reason she could not sleep tonight. It wasn't anything he had done, especially. They had established the pattern for their relationship a long time ago. They were a team. Voyager's command team. As such, they had a certain example to set for the rest of the crew. They were friendly, yet always professional. Their's was a . . . 'comfortable' relationship. Yet every once in a while some small word or glance from Chakotay would make her decidedly . . . uncomfortable. That had happened today. Oh, she knew he had not intended for her to see the look in his eye earlier in her ready room. But she had caught the expression on his face as they had discussed converting one of the unused crew quarters into a playroom for Naomi Wildman, the only child on Voyager so far. The topic brought to mind their own thoughts on marriage and family for themselves and Kathryn had seen the fleeting expression of longing on Chakotay's face before he had been able to mask it. If she were honest with herself, she knew that thoughts of him and a life that "might have been" if things were different, were what kept her awake now. Trying to escape those thoughts was what had her walking around her ship at this time of night. She simply walked, taking in the sights and sounds that were Voyager. She often went for walks around Voyager when she needed to think. It comforted her to see her ship with its clean lines and the quietness that came over it at night. Walking down the corridors of Voyager usually gave her a sense of peace and contentment. But tonight those feelings eluded her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get him off her mind. He was . . . Janeway's train of thought was interrupted as she walked past the door of Holodeck Two. Someone was running a program. She stopped to see what program was in use. It was Sandrine's. Maybe that's what she needed tonight to distract herself. Often she avoided joining the crew in Sandrine's because she felt the presence of the Captain made the crew a little uncomfortable. But this late at night there shouldn't be too many people there. Maybe she could slip in unnoticed for a few minutes. She keyed the door open and stepped inside. Just inside the door she stopped and allowed her eyes to adjust to the dimmer lights of the bar. As she looked around, she noticed the familiar form of Sandrine, the holographic bartender/owner, behind the bar. Sandrine was the only hologram running tonight. The Captain looked farther to the left and saw there was only one crew member present. His back was toward her as he bent over the pool table to line up a shot. Janeway waved to Sandrine and walked quietly across the room. "Good evening, Ensign," she said, lying her hand on his shoulder for a moment. Tom Paris jumped and spun around, missing the shot he had been setting up. "Captain!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" "I was just out for a walk and noticed the program running. You don't mind, do you?" "Of course not. You're welcome to join me." Tom looked closely at his captain, noticing the shadows under her eyes. She looked like she needed to relax. "Would you care to play?" he asked, indicating the pool table. She thought for a moment. "Thanks. A game of pool may be just what I need right now." Tom began gathering the balls at one end of the table while Kathryn chose a cue stick from a rack on the wall. "So what made the captain of Voyager need to take a walk in the middle of the night?" "I couldn't sleep." "Anything in particular on your mind?" he asked casually. Kathryn glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. It seemed like he was just making polite conversation but with Tom you never knew. She had learned that while he presented a casual, careless attitude most of the time, Tom cared deeply about his friends. She wasn't sure if their relationship would be called "friendship." Being the captain, friendship with her crew was a luxury she didn't have. But she and Tom had a unique relationship that allowed him some leeway at certain times. "Captain?" Tom's voice brought her back to the holodeck and she realized she had been standing still, staring off at nothing for a few moments. "Sorry, Tom. I think I may just be too tired. Did you ever get so tired you couldn't sleep? My mind has been going for so long, it just won't be still." Tom indicated she should break. He waited until she had taken her shot, breaking the balls out of formation and scattering them around the table. As the solid green ball fell into the side pocket, she smiled then moved to set up her next shot. "I'll ask you again. Anything in particular on your mind?" *Just my first officer,* she thought to herself. That thought startled her so badly she jerked, messing up the shot she had been about to make. *Where did that thought come from?* she wondered silently. "Nothing too important," she told Tom as he moved around the table. Tom didn't look like he believed her. He simply made a noncommittal "hmmm" sound as he circled the table and proceeded to sink three striped balls, one after another. He missed the fourth and it was Kathryn's turn again. Tom watched as she looked the table over, deciding on her next move. She was distracted tonight. While she wouldn't admit it, he had spent enough time observing her over the last few years to know when his captain was disturbed by something. She had seemed fine on the bridge today and nothing major had happened to Voyager in the last few days, so whatever was bothering her had to have happened fairly recently. He knew the Captain had had dinner in the mess hall. (That alone would give anyone indigestion bad enough to prevent sleep, he thought.) Then he had heard her say she was going back to her quarters to work on reports with Commander Chakotay. Commander Chakotay. Hmmm. Maybe he was the reason the Captain was prowling the halls at this time of the morning. He didn't think she would admit it though, even if it were true. Ever since the two commanding officers had returned from New Earth, the crew had been speculating on just what had happened between them there. Neither one ever gave much of a clue, but every once in a while Tom would turn from his station at the conn and catch a look between them or a whispered comment that made him wonder. He would bet quite a few replicator rations that "something" had happened between them. As a matter of fact, he had bet a few in his own betting pool. He hoped the captain didn't know about his betting pool. He really didn't think she'd understand. The crew wasn't trying to be nosy. It was just that they really wanted their captain and first officer to be happy. If that meant they were together - fine. If it didn't, well that would be all right too. But each of them had sacrificed so much for the crew, that the crew thought they deserved some peace and happiness. But it didn't look like it was going to be a peaceful night for Captain Janeway. Maybe he could take her mind off of what was bothering her. "You know, Captain, when I have something bothering me I like to take my mind off of it with a little friendly competition. Usually trying to defeat someone, in a friendly way of course, distracts me. Maybe that's what you need tonight," he said, as she sank the eight ball winning the first game. The Captain just looked at him across the pool table. "In other words, since I'm obviously distracted and off my game tonight, you think it would be a good time to beat me and win some replicator rations." Tom looked up at her as innocently as he could. "Captain, would I do something like that to you?" "In a heartbeat," she said with the beginning of a smile at his attempt at innocence. "Oh, what the hell. Maybe a challenge will get my mind off of . . ." Her cheeks pinkened slightly at her near slip. *Watch it, Kathryn. Tom Paris is the last person you can slip up around and say Chakotay's name. He'd never let you live it down.* Tom had already noticed her slip. "Get your mind off of . . . what, Captain?" "Just rack them, Ensign," she said in her best Captain's voice. Tom smirked just a little as he gathered the balls on the table. He'd bet anything the Captain had almost said Chakotay's name to end that last sentence. That was a very pretty blush on her cheeks at the moment. He'd also bet a year's worth of replicator rations that she'd rather be captured by Vidiians before she'd admit it. He wished there was something he could do to help the Captain and Commander. They were perfect for each other. Everyone knew it. If only the Captain weren't such a stickler for StarFleet protocol. Tom just knew THAT was a major factor keeping them apart. He finished racking the balls and brought his mind back to the table. She really was off her game tonight. He might actually have a chance at beating her. Figures it would happen when no one else was around to witness it. "So, Captain, what are we playing for?" "You name it, Tom. Within reason, of course." "Of course. How about the usual? Ten replicator rations." "Fine. Who breaks?" "Ladies first," he said, bowing gallantly for her to go first. The Captain shook her head at his antics and moved to break. She sunk one solid and one striped ball with her first shot. "I'll take solids. You can thank me for the free one later." "Captain, I don't need any help from you. I can win this one all by myself." "Prove it, Paris. Prove it." Unfortunately for the Captain, he proceeded to do just that. In an amazing stroke of luck, Tom managed to run nearly the entire table. sinking one after another of the striped pool balls. He missed his last one but left the Captain with an impossible shot around the eight ball. Although she gave it a valiant try, the cue ball just nicked the black eight ball, sending it toward the nearby side pocket. It teetered for a heart-stopping moment, then gently fell into the hole. The Captain's head dropped as Tom let out a war whoop of excitement at finally defeating his Captain at this game. "I don't believe it! he exclaimed. "Neither do I. This really isn't my night," she said walking over to shake his hand. "Nice game, Tom. You played that very well." "Well, your replicator rations were a great incentive," he teasingly reminded her. She smiled at him. "I hadn't forgotten. Computer, transfer ten replicator rations in Captain Janeway's account to Ensign Paris's account." "Unable to comply," the familiar voice of the computer told them. "There are insufficient rations in Captain Janeway's account to complete the transfer." "What! Computer, how many rations are there in my account?" "There are currently four rations in Captain Janeway's account," the computer stated. "Captain, you wagered replicator rations you didn't have? I'm shocked," Tom said, although secretly he was amused. The look on Captain Janeway's face was priceless! The Captain looked horrified. "Oh, my God! I forgot about dinner. I bought dinner for Chakotay and I earlier when we were working in my quarters. I completely forgot. I don't believe this!" She was turning a lovely shade of red in embarrassment. Tom decided to take pity on her. "Look, Captain, it's no big deal. Just pay me back next week," he said, knowing she wouldn't let him cancel the bet. "No! I've never gone back on a bet in my life and I don't intend to start now! I'll pay you somehow . . . " she said, her mind frantically trying to think of a way out of this. "Captain, really, it doesn't matter . . ." "It does to me! A Janeway honors her bets!" she spat, still mortified. Tom watched as she paced relentlessly around the pool table. It looked like his plan to relax the Captain hadn't worked exactly like he'd planned. "What if we alter the original bet? Tom asked. "How?" "I don't know. Make it something other than replicator rations." "Like what?" "I don't know. There must be some advantage to having the Captain owe you," he teased. "Maybe next time I get in trouble you forgive me quicker," he brainstormed. "Tom, you know I can't . . .” "Or maybe you could talk Chakotay into arranging for B'Elanna and I to have the same day off next week,” he continued without really thinking. "Mr. Paris!” That commanding voice grabbed his attention and snapped his mouth shut quickly. "I made a terrible mistake tonight for which I am deeply embarrassed and sorry. But I cannot use my position on this ship like that just because I lost a bet on a pool game. Is that clear?” She stood in front of him in "command stance,” hands on her hips, chin up, every inch a Star Fleet Captain. "Captain, I didn't mean anything by it. Honestly, I'd like to forget the whole bet except I know you won't do that. Why don't we both think about this for a while. There must be something we can come up with that will settle the bet and not abuse you power as captain. Okay?” He watched as she slowly calmed down in front of him. "I'm sorry, Tom. I'm just so embarrassed. Why don't we think about it tonight and you can tell me what you decide tomorrow. All right?" She headed for the door of Sandrine's. "Captain?" he called as she neared the door. She paused but didn't look at him. "Please don't worry about this. The game was supposed to take your mind off your worries, not make them worse. You go get some sleep. You don't have to worry. I won't say anything to anyone about this." She turned to him then and look him in the eye. "Thank you, Tom. I appreciate it. And you did do what you set out to do. I completely forgot about my other problem for a while," she said with a wry twist of her lips as she headed out the door. Tom shook his head. There went one stubborn lady! He put his cue away, called goodnight to Sandrine and shut down the program on his way out. The next morning found the Captain looking very tired, with dark circles under here eyes. It was apparent that she hadn't gotten much sleep last night. As she headed for the bridge to begin her shift, she ran into Commander Chakotay. She felt his eyes on her as they stepped into the turbolift. "Good morning, Captain." "Morning, Commander." "How are you this morning?" "I'm fine," she said shortly, trying to head off his concern. "Really? No offense, Captain, but it doesn't look like you had a restful night. Did you sleep all right?" She sighed. "I'm fine, Commander. Thank you for your concern." He was silent for a minute. Then he said, "Okay, Captain. But I hope you know by now that I'd be happy to help if something were bothering you." She looked him in the eyes for the first time that morning. Their conversation ended as the door opened onto the bridge. They walked forward, the Captain calling for an update as she went. Each had taken their usual seats, preparing to start the day, when the lift opened again to admit Tom Paris and Harry Kim to the bridge. The two seemed to be in the middle of a good-natured discussion as they moved to their stations. At the sound of their voices, the Captain tensed a little and straightened almost imperceptibly. Chakotay caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. "Good morning, Captain!" Tom's voice seemed rather cheerful this morning. "Mr. Paris." The Captain's voice, on the other hand, seemed a bit strained. Tom paused and looked closely at the Captain. He too noticed the dark circles and gave her a concerned look. "You seem a bit tired today, Captain. Maybe you need more sleep," he scolded gently. The Captain tensed even more and her head shot up to stare hard at Tom. A slight blush pinkened her cheeks. "Thank you, Mr. Paris, but I'm fine." She gave a significant nod toward the conn and Tom turned his station. The Captain slowly relaxed, until she noticed Chakotay watching the scene with a curious glint in his eye. *Damn,* she thought, looking quickly away. She made herself look busy for a few minutes, then handed the bridge over to Chakotay and retreated to her office. She thought she could feel two sets of eyes following her as she left the bridge. As the doors to the ready room closed, Chakotay looked over to see that Tom had also watched the Captain leave. The eyes of the two men met and Tom smiled slowly, his eyes twinkling with mischief, before he turned back to the helm. Chakotay watched him for a few moments more, wondering just what was going on. The Captain managed to avoid both Chakotay and Tom for the rest of the morning. She secluded herself in her ready room and pretended to work on reports while she really tried to think of some way to repay her debt to Tom. It really was unacceptable for the Captain to renege on a bet to a crewman. She was just grateful that no one else knew about it. She believed Tom when he said he wouldn't tell anyone. But she also knew she wouldn't be able to stand that little smile on his face and in his voice for long. She had to find some way out of this, before Chakotay found out. Chakotay. This was all his fault! If he hadn't been on her mind so much, she might have remembered about her rations. Heck, it was even his fault her rations were low. She had bought him a dinner, after all! She smiled to herself at how her mind turned everything to him. She knew he had realized something was up between she and Tom. If she were lucky, he'd never find out exactly what. He's never let her live it down! Now, how was she going to repay Tom Paris . . . At the same time the Captain was trying to think of how she could pay off this bet, Tom Paris was also trying to brainstorm ideas. He sat in the messhall eating lunch with B'Elanna and Harry, listening to their conversation with only half an ear. He was thinking back to his conversation with the Captain last night. He would bet his last replicator ration that Chakotay had been on her mind last evening, preventing her from sleeping. Those two belonged together! Captain Janeway had done so much for this crew, and Tom in particular, that Tom believed she deserved to be happy. He didn't know if Chakotay was the man that would make her happy, but they should at least have the opportunity to find out. He knew, better than anyone, why the Captain kept shying away from a relationship with her first officer. She had been taught about Starfleet Protocol from Admiral Owen Paris himself, and Tom definitely knew what that man was for protocol. After all, he'd made Tom's life miserable because of it. Taking another bite of his lunch, Tom brought his mind back to the problem at hand. How could he convince Captain Janeway that it would be okay to relax a little, at least off duty? He knew no one on the ship would care if the Captain and Commander had a relationship of some kind. Tom knew that for a fact. After all, he was the one who had conducted the survey of the crew. Not one person on the ship would think any less of them if the Captain and Commander were involved in some way. Tom had polled the entire crew with the exception of the Captain, the Commander and Lt. Tuvok. Actually, most people thought they belonged together. It would actually make most people feel better to know that their commanding officers were human, like their crew was. Now all he had to do was find some way to convince the Captain of that. "So, Tom, what do you think?" The sound of B'Elanna saying his name caught his attention.. "Huh?" "Earth to Paris. Where have you been? You haven't heard a word we've said, have you?" "Sorry, B'Elanna. I was just thinking about something." "Uh-oh," Harry pretended to be concerned. "Look out, B'Elanna. Tom's thinking. Should we go to Red Alert now, do you think?" "Very funny, Harry. Now, what did I miss?" "We were talking about the beach party. Almost everyone's going to be there," B'Elanna filled him in. "Everyone except the Captain, probably," Harry continued. "I wish we could convince her to join us. She needs to relax more. I can't remember the last time she took a break." "I know. She didn't take shore leave on the last two planets we stopped at," B'Elanna said. "The one I feel sorry for is . . ." She stopped suddenly. "Chakotay." Tom and Harry both said at the same time. B'Elanna nodded. "I shouldn't say anything because I haven't talked to him about this, but I can tell, he's so interested in her. If she would stop being 'the Captain' and just be human for a minute maybe she'd see that no one would care if she were herself for a while!" "B'Elanna, she's been 'the Captain' for so long I'm not sure she can be herself anymore." This wisdom from Harry surprised Tom. Harry always seemed so innocent, but he had matured so much in the Delta Quadrant. B'Elanna slammed her hand down on the table in frustration. "I wish there were some way to make her go to the party with Chakotay and have a good time!" The phrase "make her go" seemed to echo in Tom's mind. There was one person on the ship who had the influence at the moment to nudge the Captain into going to the beach party. One person to whom the Captain owed a debt of honor. He would have to be exceptionally careful. He knew how stubborn his Captain could be. It was possible she could dig in her heels and this could backfire on him. He respected Kathryn Janeway and had worked so hard to earn her respect in return. If he weren't careful, that respect could be in jeopardy. But, if he handled this with painstaking caution, this could work. This was going to require every ounce of charm and grace he possessed. What a challenge! To convince Kathryn Janeway to change her mind. Well, he'd always loved a challenge. A small smile broke out across his face and slowly spread into a large grin. Harry and B'Elanna watched the expression on his face change and looked at each other in confusion. "Tom?" B'Elanna asked. "Hmmm?" "What are you smiling about?" Tom seemed to focus on them and his smile widened. He didn't say anything. "Oh, God," Harry almost whispered. "Tom, whatever it is you're thinking . . .Don't. I know that smile, you're up to something. But this is the Captain we're talking about. She'll have you cleaning the waste recycling units for the next fifty years!" "Harry, Harry, Harry . . . Trust me!" With a wink, he stood and left the messhall, leaving Harry and B'Elanna staring after him in alarm and confusion. Tom spent the rest of his shift on the bridge running through ideas on how to approach the subject with the Captain. While he was a bit distracted, Harry kept throwing concerned looks at him and Chakotay missed nothing. When his replacement for the next shift arrived, Tom spent a few moments discussing the present course and heading with him, then, gathering his courage, he turned to face the commanding officers. "Captain, could I have a few minutes of your time in the ready room please?" The Captain hesitated for a second, staring into his eyes, then nodded and stood to lead the way across the bridge. At least two pairs of eyes watched them go. They entered the ready room, the Captain indicated he should take a seat on the couch, then joined him there a moment later. "I assume you're here to discuss our wager," she said with a slight smile. Even after thinking all afternoon Tom was unsure how to begin. The Captain continued, "Tom, I really appreciate you not mentioning this to anyone. It just wouldn't look right for the Captain to default on a bet." That gave Tom the opening he was looking for. "Actually, Captain, I don't think anyone would think badly of you at all. In fact, it might make the crew see you as a human being instead of a 'super being.'" The Captain looked shocked for a moment. '”Super being?" she asked incredulously. Tom took a deep breath, then decided to go ahead. "Permission to speak freely?" The Captain looked at him for a moment, trying to figure out where he was going with this. Then she nodded. "Granted." "Captain, I understand, better than anyone on this ship, where your ideas of Starfleet and Protocol come from. Admiral Owen Paris was my father." The last was said with a slight trace of bitterness. "Tom . . ." "Captain, please. It's not easy for me to talk about him. I know you had a good relationship with him and that you respect and admire him. But my experiences with him weren't so good. In fact, they were terrible." This time there was no bitterness, only fact. "My point is, I understand where your beliefs about a Captain's conduct come from. I was forced to listen to his views my entire childhood." Tom stopped as memories came back to him. Not for the first time did the Captain wonder how they could have had such differing experiences with the same man. But Tom was continuing and she realized he needed to say these things. "But Captain, those lofty ideals weren't meant for a situation like this. Hell, there's nothing official about it anywhere. But even if there were, Starfleet never imagined voyage like this one. No one could. The rules and regulations shouldn't apply here."
"They have to, Tom. If we don't have order through those
rules and regulations . . ." "What do you mean by that?" the Captain's tone indicated she was not pleased with where she thought this conversation was going. But Tom pressed on, carefully. "I mean separating yourself from the crew, never allowing us to see the real you behind those four pips, never letting anyone get close to you, personally . . ." The Captain drew back slightly as she straightened up. "Ensign . . ." she warned. "You gave me permission to speak freely. I've started this, I might as well finish it. Captain, there isn't a person on this ship who doesn't admire and respect you. You're strong, brave, intelligent. and the best damn captain I've ever seen. This crew trusts you with their lives. But they wish you'd trust them with yours." "There isn't a crewman on this ship I wouldn't be proud to have with me in battle," she put in quickly. "That's not what I mean. I don't mean in battle, Captain. I mean off duty." She stared at him in shock. "Are you trying to tell me that the crew wants me to . . . to . . ." she sputtered to a stop, not really sure now to phrase it. "The crew wants you to let them get to know you, Captain. In the messhall, on the holodeck, at those 'moral-raising' activities Neelix plans. They want you to relax sometimes with them. They never get to see you except at meetings and they never see you out of uniform." "Tom." It was the Captain's turn to interrupt. "I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. I'll take it under advisement." She had switched to full 'Captain mode' now. "I find it hard to believe that the entire crew is discussing this though." "Really? You should have heard the conversations at lunch today. They know you haven't taken shore leave on the last two planets we've stopped at and they know you probably have no intention of coming to the beach party tomorrow." "I don't believe this! The crew must not have enough work to do if this is what they talk about over lunch!" She was upset but Tom didn't know if it was the topic of conversation or if it was because they were right. "Captain, they're not criticizing you, they're worried about you. You've given all of us so much, they just want you to have something too. It's not healthy for someone to be alone all the time. They just want you to be happy." She had caught a deeper meaning to the word 'alone' and turned to him. "They don't want me to be 'alone.' Who would they like me to be with?" she asked sharply. Tom looked uncomfortable. This wasn't going exactly as planned. "It's not so much that they want you with anyone specific, Captain. It's more like they want you to feel you could - if you wanted to," he finished quickly. "I don't believe this!" The Captain got up and started pacing. "I don't even know what to say! Where do they get off prying into my personal life . . . as if I don't know who they'd like to see me with . . . I can't believe I'm even having this conversation!" She muttered. She stopped directly in front of him and stood with her hands on her hips. "Well, Mr., Paris, you can go back to the crew and tell them to mind their own business! I'm the captain of this vessel and as such I have to set an example. I can't decide to have a relationship just because . . ." "Why?" he asked quietly. That stopped her. "What?" "Why can't you have a relationship?" "I'm the Captain!" "So?" She just stared at him. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. There's no written rule or regulation that says you can't. I checked. There isn't a crewman on board who would care if you did. I know that for a fact," he paused, gathering his courage, "because I've asked them. Well, not Chakotay or Tuvok," he added quickly, "but everyone else. Here's the results." He pulled a padd from his jacket and set it on the coffee table. "The only reason you think that is because of the protocol speeches my father drummed into you. But he wasn't always right, Captain, about a lot of things." The silence in the room was deafening. Tom sat there, waiting for her to call security to throw him out the nearest airlock, while the Captain just stood there looking at him. Finally, she dropped onto the couch next to him. "I can't believe this. I thought for sure you wanted to talk to me about the bet, not about this," she waved her hand in the air. "Actually, I intended to discuss our wager. This was all just sort of leading up to it," he admitted. She looked at him in mock horror. "I'm afraid to ask." Now that the time had come, Tom wasn't sure he could go through with this. It had seemed like a good idea in the messhall with Harry and B'Elanna but now that the Captain was actually in front of him, Tom wasn't sure he could do it. The Captain sensed his hesitation. "You might as well just say it. You haven't been too hesitant before this." "Well, I wad thinking about what you said last night. That you couldn't use your position as Captain to repay the bet, so that means it would need to be something personal . . ." He shot her a look. She was starting to look wary again. "Well, you know about the beach party Neelix is throwing tomorrow night?" "And you want me to go and 'get to know' my crew?" "Sort of. I figured you'd go make an appearance anyway, as the Captain." She nodded reluctantly. "So I was thinking that maybe you could go as Kathryn and actually relax for a bit. maybe even," he hesitated, then said quickly, "maybe even bring a date." "A date?" Her voice was so soft, Tom knew he was in big trouble. She only used that soft voice when she was really angry. He'd heard her use it with the Kazon before. "Did you have anyone in mind?" she asked quietly. Too quietly. "Ah, well, anyone you want would be fine, of course, but we all know you and Chakotay are pretty good friends . . ." his voice trailed off. "Chakotay." Her voice was dangerously soft. Tom thought he needed to lighten the mood and tried his usual method - humor. "Well, that would be something personal from you, not the Captain, and besides, debts are supposed to be unpleasant to pay off. I personally can't think of anything more unpleasant than dating Chakotay, except dating Tuvok, maybe." He gave her his famous Paris grin. It had no effect. "Let me get this straight. You want me to repay a debt I lost on a pool game to you by going out with my first officer, on a date." Tom thought about it. "When you put it that way, it doesn't sound like such a good idea." He stood. "Look, Captain, just forget this whole thing, okay? Forget the pool game, forget the bet, and forget this whole conversation. I'm going to go to engineering and ask B'Elanna to throw me intake warp core." He turned to go. "Tom, wait." He stopped. "I know you probably had good intentions here," she paused trying to imagine how his mind had come up with this one, then continued, "but I just don't think this is a good idea. I appreciate the fact that you're worried about me, but I'm fine. I really don't think it would be good for the crew if I were to get personal with them. How could I act like friends with them one night and them maybe order them to risk their lives the next day?" Tom crossed to her. "I understand what you are saying. But we do that here every day. We take orders from people we consider to be our friends without a problem. Are you going to ask your crew to do something that you believe is too difficult for you?" "It's not the same thing!" "Yes, it is. The crew spends time with friends every night and the next morning, reports to those same people for orders. We have proven we can handle that situation, Captain. You just have to trust us that we can do the same for you." He let that thought sink in and then said, "Captain, I'm truly sorry if I've overstepped my bounds today. But this crew honestly wants you and Chakotay to be happy. They believe you've earned that. If that means you're together, fine. If it's apart or as friends, fine. But they believe you should have the chance to find out one way or another." He smiled down at her. "Either way, I think your debt is paid. Even if you don't ask Chakotay to the party, you let me talk to you about this. I'd say your debt is paid in full." He turned to go. "Tom," she called to him again. "Thank you. It took a lot of courage to bring this up with me." "At least Harry was wrong," he said, his old grin coning back. "What do you mean?" "He said I shouldn't do this or you'd have me cleaning the waste recycling units for the next fifty years." "Harry knows about this?" Her voice got dangerous again. "No! He can just tell when I'm about to do something that will probably get me in trouble. He doesn't know anything about this specifically," he reassured her. She relaxed and nodded. "You've given me a lot to think about," she told him. "Dismissed." Tom threw her a jaunty little salute and stepped out the door onto the bridge. As the doors of the ready room closed behind him, he closed his eyes and sighed in relief, realizing that went better than he probably had a right to expect. Thinking back over the last half hour as he started toward the turbolift, he came to the conclusion again that Kathryn Janeway was one incredible lady. Two hours later, Chakotay was in his quarters waiting for the Captain. They were supposed to meet over supper to discuss crew reports, but the Captain was late. "Computer, location of Captain Janeway?" "Captain Janeway is in the Captain's Ready Room," the computer told him. Still? She had been in there ever since Tom Paris had asked for a moment of her time, and that had been over two hours ago. Chakotay wondered what was going on. The Captain had been distracted all day and her reactions to Tom had been a little strange both this morning and when he had asked to speak with her. Something was different between those two. He just wished he knew what it was. Maybe he could find out at dinner. He debated whether to contact her over the comm system, then decided to go in person. He knew Kathryn. She was a lot more likely to cancel dinner on him over the commbadge than if he were there in the same room with her. A few minutes later he buzzed a the ready room door and waited for a muffled, "Come in." Entering, he saw Kathryn sitting on her couch staring out the window at the stars. She had a padd in her hand but she wasn't reading it. "Captain?" he asked, crossing the room toward her. "Hello, Chakotay." She motioned him to sit down. "Do you need something?" He smiled gently. "It's nineteen hundred hours. We were supposed to meet for dinner. You're not standing me up are you?" She glanced at the chronometer on her desk, looking surprised. "Oh! I'm sorry, Chakotay. I had no idea it was so late." "That's okay. Kathryn, are you all right?" "Why do you ask?" He noticed that she avoided answering the question. "You just usually don't lose track of time like this or sit in you ready room long after your shift ends watching the stars. You obviously have something on your mind. Is there anything your first officer can do to help?" Her head shot up and she stared at him. Her reaction surprised him and he thought back over his words trying to find what he had said that had caused such a reaction in her. "What is it?" he asked quietly. She just shook her head. "No. There's nothing my 'first officer' can do to help." She stood and began to pace. "Definitely not the first officer." she muttered. A look of disappointment flashed across his face before he carefully schooled his features to reveal nothing. "Well, then maybe you should speak to Tuvok about whatever is on your mind," he said carefully. Kathryn whirled around to face him. "Oh, Chakotay," she said in a hushed voice. "No, you don't understand," she continued as she moved to sit beside him, "I could never talk to Tuvok about this. If I were to talk to anyone it would be you." "But you just said you definitely couldn't talk to your first officer." "I couldn't talk to my first officer about this, but I think I need to talk to you." Kathryn sighed and sank back against the couch, looking at the ceiling. "How do I explain this to you when I don't understand it myself?" She slapped the datapadd in her right hand against her left palm. "Damn Tom Paris anyway," she muttered under her breath. Chakotay's ears picked up the name. "What is going on with you and Paris today? You've been acting odd around him all day." He watched her face carefully and was shocked to see her blush. "Kathryn?" She hadn't moved. Her head was still against the back of the couch. "What?" "You're blushing." Her eyes closed. "Don't be ridiculous, Chakotay. Captains don't blush." "Apparently mine does. Kathryn, what's going on? What could be so bad that you couldn't tell me about it?" The silence in the room became deafening. Chakotay was beginning to think she wasn't going to answer him when she sighed again. He recognized the sound. It was the one she made when she had made up her mind about something. She didn't move and her eyes remained closed, but she began to speak. "I couldn't sleep last night so I went for a walk around Voyager and ended up on the holodeck with Tom," she began. Of all the things he had expected her to say, it wasn't this. Chakotay's mind flew at warp speed through all the possible things that could have happened on the holodeck last night to cause Kathryn's strange reaction to Tom Paris today. His whole body tensed and he waited for her to continue. "We played some pool, for the usual bet." "And you beat him, like always,” he prompted her. "Not quite. My mind was a bit distracted last night, and I lost." "I bet Tom was thrilled. How come I didn't hear him bragging about it today?" "Because when it came time to pay up, I didn't have enough replicator rations to cover the bet." A slight smile touched his mouth. "Kathryn, you bet rations you didn't have? I'm shocked," he said, a hint of laughter in his voice. She finally turned her head and pierced him with a 'Janeway glare.' "I forget I had bought you dinner earlier," she said flatly. He thought back to their dinner and the conversation following it. He remembered the feeling he had had when they were discussing families and children on Voyager. He had wondered if Kathryn knew what he had been thinking. Then he realized she had said she couldn't sleep and was distracted last night, and decided he would bet his last replicator ration that she did know his feelings. The only reaction he gave though was a soft, "Oh." Kathryn turned her head back to look at the ceiling again. "What did you do when you couldn't pay?" "Tom offered to forget the bet." "But you wouldn't do that," he stated positively, knowing her well enough to be certain of that. "No, I wouldn't do that. A Janeway always pays their debts. So Tom came up with a few ideas . . ." "I'm sure," he interrupted wryly. " . . . until I made it clear I wouldn't use my position as Captain to pay off abet. It would have to be something . . . personal." Chakotay thought about the way Kathryn had acted around Tom all day. Then his mind went over every story he had ever heard about Tom Paris. A Tom Paris who was owed a "personal" favor by the very attractive Captain he served under. Chakotay's face became hard as granite and he rose to his feet. "I'll kill him," he vowed softly and started for the door. "What?" Kathryn's eyes opened to see only his back as he headed for the door. "Chakotay? Where are you going?" He turned to her. "I'll be right back," he said calmly. "I have to go kill Tom Paris." Kathryn looked at him. He was serious. There was a look in his eye that she had never seen before. "Chakotay?" Then she realized how he had taken her comment. "Oh, no!" She put her hand up to her forehead. There was definitely a headache coming on. "No, no, no, no, no. That came out wrong. Well, it didn't, but it's not what you think." Chakotay didn't relax a muscle. "Kathryn, what exactly did Tom ask you for to repay the debt?" Kathryn looked at him. How on earth was she going to explain this? "Come sit down, please." He reluctantly moved back to the couch. "Tom came to see me after his shift today. Apparently, he'd had a brainstorm on how I could repay my bet. And no, it's not what you're thinking. It seems that the crew is . . . worried about me. Apparently, I've been the topic of conversation lately. They've decided they want to get to know me . . . off duty." "What's wrong with that? I've been telling you that for a while now." "I know. I used the same arguments I used with you on Tom. I don't think it would be fair to be friends with someone one night and then order them into hazardous situation the next day." "So what's the problem?" "Tom said the crew does that every day anyway and questioned if I was asking my crew to do something I couldn't." Chakotay whistled soundlessly. That was a great argument. He wished he'd thought of it. A comment like that was bound to hit Kathryn right in her Captain's pride. "That's not all. According to Tom, the crew also thinks I should have the opportunity to 'not be alone'." "Not be alone?" She picked up the datapadd she had been holding earlier and handed it to him. "Apparently, Tom took a survey of the crew. Pretty much everyone thinks I should have the opportunity to . . . date if I want to." "Date?" Chakotay was beginning to sound like a parrot, but he was stunned. No wonder Kathryn had lost track of time. He looked over the information on the padd. Then a thought struck him. "Did Tom want to . . ." "No!" Kathryn said quickly. "Nothing like that." "Then what?" She stood and moved to the window. "Tom asked me to repay my debt to him in a rather unusual way. Since I told him it had to be repaid by me personally and not Captain Janeway, he asked me to come to the beach party Neelix is throwing tomorrow as Kathryn, not the Captain." "I think that's a great idea . . ."he began. "He also wants me to bring a date." She couldn't look at him. She stood staring out at the stars as she heard him stand to move behind her. "Anyone in particular?" he asked, a strange note in his voice. There was a pause, then, "Tom suggested I bring you." Chakotay didn't know whether to thank Tom Paris, or kill him. He'd been so patient with Kathryn and this latest stunt of Tom's could ruin everything he'd worked for. Chakotay's hands went to her shoulders and he gently turned her toward him. "Tom wants you to repay a debt to him by dating me?" "I know, that's what I said. It's ridiculous! It's completely out of the question. You and I both know that a relationship of that kind could severely compromise our command structure. It could . . ." "Kathryn." Her name on his lips stopped her. "You know I don't think that. But more importantly, why were you in here thinking about it for hours if it's ridiculous?" he asked quietly. Kathryn looked stunned. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Finally, she looked at him and said, "I don't know." "Maybe it's not so ridiculous after all." he said moving closer to her. After a minute she said, "Chakotay, this could never work." "Oh, I don't know. I think you and I could manage to go to a party together," he said teasingly. "That's not what I mean." "I know," he said seriously. "But that's a beginning. We don't have to decide everything before it begins, Kathryn. We could just take it slow and see what happens. That's part of the adventure." "I think I have enough adventure in my life." "I don't think so. You love adventure. I bet you could handle a little more." A slight smile touched the corners of her mouth. "Oh, no! No more bets for me!" They both chuckled. "You think my asking you out on a date would be an adventure?" Chakotay's eyes sparkled with mischief and his grin deepened as he replied, "Absolutely." The look on his face was irresistible. Kathryn reached out and gave him a hug. He returned the gesture and they stayed that way until Kathryn shook her head. "That's not what Tom said," she said with a touch of humor in her voice. "Oh, really? Just what exactly did Tom say?" "That a debt shouldn't be pleasant to repay and that he couldn't think of anything more unpleasant than dating you, except maybe dating Tuvok." "The feeling is entirely mutual for Lt. Paris, believe me." Kathryn's smile died away. "Chakotay, I still don't think this is a good idea, you know. My arguments on this subject are still valid, to me." "I know. But Kathryn, I think Tom has a point also. You've trained your crew well. Maybe it's time to trust them with you." She thought about it. "Maybe." She leaned her forehead against his chest "But there is another issue here too, you know." He sighed soundlessly. "What's that?" "If we do this, it will be partly because of Tom Paris. Are you sure you want Tom to be responsible for this? He'll be impossible to live with, you know." "He's impossible now." She squeezed him tighter in response. "You leave Mr. Paris to me," he said. They remained in their easy embrace, arms loosely around each other for a moment, enjoying the comfortable silence. Suddenly Kathryn spoke, "I can't believe we're actually going to do this." A devilish glint entered Chakotay's eye. "Do what? I don't remember agreeing to anything here."
Kathryn's head shot up off his chest as she exclaimed, "What?
You mean you're not going with me tomorrow?" She stared at him, speechless. She drew back and her eyes narrowed as she noticed the look in his eyes. "Are you actually going to make me ask you?" she exclaimed incredulously. He sat on the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. "It seems only fair," he said. "If you're going to use me to repay a debt, I should at least get a personal invitation out of this." "I don't believe it! This was all your fault anyway!" "My fault? How do you figure that?" he asked amused. "I spent my replicator rations feeding you!" she exclaimed, waving her hand in the air. He just raised his eyebrow, doing a great imitation of Tuvok. "Besides, I would have been able to concentrate on my game if I could have stopped thinking about you!" A delighted smile lit up his face. "Really? You were thinking about me?" "Oh, hell." Kathryn stopped pacing and sank down beside him on the couch. "Never mind." She took a deep breath. "Chakotay, will you go to the beach party with me tomorrow?" He smiled. "I'd love to," he said simply. She smiled back at him, then her eyes widened slightly as her stomach growled loudly. "Sounds like I'd better feed you now though," he said laughing. "Come on, let's go get something to eat and you can tell me all about how I was on your mind last night." As she sputtered, he laughed and said, "I'm buying." Grabbing her hand, he pulled her to her feet.
"Darn right you are," she answered as they headed out
the door. "For some reason, I'm out of rations!"
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