The BLTS Archive - A Real Hot Coffee Night
Third in the Infinite Possibilities series
by Jen Ferris (kevas@aol.com)

---

Author's Note:The third story in my J/C alternate universe.
This one is kind of a mishmosh...call it a "slice of life"
story, maybe? Cause it just kind of kept going...

Disclaimer: the characters belong to Paramount. Damn. But
we'll give them back.

Please archive, keeping my disclaimer (such as it is) and name
attached.

---

"Want to change jobs?"

"What?"

"Do you want to change jobs? You could do mine. I could do
yours." Commander Chakotay lay stretched out on the couch in
his quarters. It was nearly midnight. It had been a very
long day. His head lay in Captain Janeway's lap.

"Interesting idea," she said dryly. "What brought that on?"

He closed his eyes. "It's got to be more fun to deal with
alien ambassadors, life-and-death decisions, or just crew
mutinies hanging over your head. Better than dealing with
the damned penny-ante bickering I've been listening to
lately."

It was very unlike him to complain. Janeway nodded
seriously. "You're right. It is more fun. Why do you think I
wanted to be the captain?"

Chakotay opened one eye and stared at her. "So you want to
trade?"

"Nope."

"Spoilsport."

"Yep."

"Okay."

Janeway ran her fingernails across Chakotay's neck and
slipped her hand inside the collar of the open-necked shirt
he wore. "Headache?"

He stirred lightly, rubbing his cheek across her thigh.
"It's going away."

"Good." Her hand drifted up to his temples, through his
hair. "I won't trade jobs, but maybe we can think of
something else to make you feel better." She started to
unbutton his shirt.

"Possibly." Chakotay opened both eyes this time, a faint
smile crinkling his eyelids. Janeway felt a flutter deep in
her stomach.

She bent her head to kiss him, but couldn't quite reach,
straightening up with a soundless sigh. "You've got that
look on your face."

"What look?"

"That
butter-wouldn't-melt-in-my-mouth-I-can-get-away-with-anythin
g-look. That look."

He grinned self-consciously. "Oh. That one."

"Slide over. Let me up for a minute," she said, nudging at
Chakotay with her hip.

He obligingly sat upright on the couch, catching Janeway's
wrist as she stood up. "Kathryn..."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Just-" Chakotay reached up to pull her face near
his. "I hated to waste the opportunity." He lifted himself
up the little bit needed to touch her lips with his own.
Without thinking, Janeway opened her mouth, loving his
taste.

Chakotay fell back into the cushions, pulling her across his
lap. His arms circled her, tongue plundered her. When he
finally released her, they were both breathing a little
harder. "God, you're sexy," he murmured.

She raised an eyebrow. "Funny, that's what I was going
to...Except that I was going to get up. You going to let
me?"

"Hmm. I guess so. You sure you want to?" Chakotay ran his
hand down Janeway's back, stroking her hip.

"Mmmm... I thought of something that'll help your headache."

He shook his head. "What headache?"

"Just keep your pants on, Commander," she pushed him back.
"Or on second thought, don't. Why don't you take all that
stuff off."

Chakotay grinned again. "I like the way your mind works,
Captain." Obediently he stripped off his civvies. He was
already barefoot. He never wore shoes when he didn't have
to. He stretched out on the couch again, arms folded behind
his head, waiting. "What are you getting, anyway?"

Janeway was murmuring quietly into the replicator controls.
"You want something while I'm here?"

"No. Thanks."

"--Some coffee."

"This time of night? You'll never get to sleep."

She carried her mug back to the sofa. "We'll think of
something. Besides, you should know by now, you could inject
this stuff directly into my veins. I'm immune. Even if it
was real coffee, which it isn't."

"If you say so."

"I say so."

"Okay."

Janeway perched on the edge of the sofa, staring
speculatively down at Chakotay. "Nice view."

"Thanks."

She took a sip of the coffee. "Hmm. It's hot. You sure you
don't want some?"

"Uh huh." Chakotay traced a line down Janeway's back.
"You're wearing too many clothes."

"That can be fixed." She kicked her boots off, stood up, and
slid the uniform down over her hips. Tugged off the
turtleneck. Making a small show out of it for his benefit.

Chakotay watched Kathryn, enraptured. Not just by her body,
though she was beautiful and he loved to see her. But she
was here, in his quarters, tolerating his silliness and his
moods, and playing. Playing. What a gift that was. For him.
It made him want to smile with sheer delight.

Kathryn shoved her clothes out of the way and knelt beside
him. "Now we'll see about that headache."

Chakotay scooted over, as much as he could, tugging at her
hand. "Come here then."

Smiling, she shook her head. "Mmm. Not yet. I thought maybe
a massage."

"You don't need to..." At her raised eyebrow he reversed
himself. "That would be nice."

"I thought so. Turn over." She moved away and Chakotay
rolled onto his stomach, resting his cheek on his folded
hands.

"Huh uh," Kathryn tugged at his arm. "Flat down. Relax."

He let her pull his arms down to his sides. "The couch is
too small. There's no room for you," he said, voice muffled
by the cushion.

"We'll manage." Kathryn climbed on top, bending her knees
and sitting back on Chakotay's legs. "Just relax."

"'Relax', she says..."

She bent over and kissed the back of his neck. "Yes. Now
shut up."

He laughed softly. "Yes ma'am."

Smiling, she ran her hands over his shoulders. "I'm not as
good at this as you are. But I'm not bad." She slid back a
bit, tucking her feet under his calves, sitting on his
thighs, and reached forward. Stroking gently at first, she
dug the heels of her hands into the knotted muscles at the
tops of his shoulders, and applied more pressure with her
fingers when that didn't work.

After a few minutes he stirred. "'S nice."

"Good. There's more."

"Umm. Don't you-"

"Shhh. It's my turn." She swept her hands up his arms,
urging the blood from his fingertips to his heart, following
the pattern on his back, then lifting herself for leverage
to apply more pressure. Her knuckles walked down his spine,
pressing in. She was stronger than she looked and Chakotay
groaned. She leaned closer. "All right?"

"Um hmm. Wonderful." A muscle in Chakotay's back twitched as
her hair tickled him. "You're hired."

Kathryn laughed softly. "Good." She worked for a few minutes
more, sliding further down his legs to dig from the curve of
his spine down his buttocks. Her hands were getting tired,
but she wasn't finished yet. She slowed, smoothing, and
whispered, "Turn over," lifting herself off the couch.

Chakotay rolled over, watching her, the expression on his
face half-sleepy, half excited. "You done?"

"No. Stretch out, now."

A smile played around his lips. "All right." He raised his
arms and stretched, joints cracking, then let his arms fall
limply to his sides. As Janeway stood up, walking back to
the replicator, he squinted at her. "That stuff's going to
kill you."

"Shh. I just wanted to heat it up, it was getting cold. You
relaxed?"

"Sure."

"Good. Now close your eyes, I'm not finished."

"Yes, Captain." The smile was wider now, but Chakotay shut
his eyes. As Janeway returned to the couch, straddling him
again, he reached out to stroke her thigh. "Kathryn..."

"Hmm?"

"I'm really...very relaxed now.'

"Humor me."

He grinned. "Okay." She settled herself on his thighs again,
contemplating the man under her. For a moment, she just
stroked his skin in appreciation, and then reached out to
knead his shoulders. He was less tense than before, but
there was still resistance, and she applied a little more
body english, using her thumbs and her knuckles to dig into
the muscle. Chakotay groaned softly, but his hips also
lifted involuntarily and his penis bobbed, half-hard,
against his stomach. Kathryn smiled to herself.

She moved lower, smoothing her hands over his pectoral
muscles, not using so much force now, and brushing her
fingers against his nipples in passing. They stiffened
obediently under her fingers, a miniature of her own.
Chakotay's breathing deepened a bit, but he kept his eyes
closed.

Changing tactics, Kathryn worked on the muscles of his arms,
one at a time, using her nails for contrast when she
couldn't completely soften his resistance. When she reached
his hands she had the advantage. Remembering attention he'd
shown her in the past, she massaged his hands carefully, the
knuckles, the fingers, the palm.

Chakotay's fingers tingled under her touch, his entire torso
felt filled with blood, soothed and paradoxically both
rested and alert. He made a small sound of protest as
Kathryn lifted herself off his legs.

"Shh," she said. "I'm not going anywhere. Just a minute."
Kathryn put a hand on his hip, pulling gently. "Slide this
way just a little." As he neared the edge of the couch, her
hand patted him to stop. "Good. Keep your eyes closed,
that's right." She took a generous sip from her mug. "Mmm
hmm."

"Kath..." Chakotay was very relaxed, nowhere near sleep, but
feeling warm, muscles loose, as she knelt beside him.

"Okay?" Her voice was deep, maybe amused.

"Yes."

"Good. Don't move." She took another swallow of coffee, put
the mug down safely, and leaned over him.

He gasped in shock as her mouth, her wonderful mouth, hot as
hell from the coffee, engulfed his penis. Which had gone
from half-hard to fully erect as she slid down the shaft,
sucking.

"God!" and without evening meaning to, Chakotay's head
pushed back into the pillow and his hips lifted, thrusting
into her. "Kathryn-"

Her mouth was, well, full, but she managed to murmur, "Umm?"
He felt the heat and vibration all the way to his balls.

"Good sweet god, how did you-" How do you ask your lover
what had made her think of that little trick? *Do* you ask?
No you don't, his rational mind answered. Just lay back and
-

Kathryn was looking up at him now, her eyes peeking, her
mouth busy. Chakotay groaned. "If you knew how that
feels..."

Lips ovaled over her teeth, she worked her way up to the top
of his shaft and lifted her mouth. "You mind?"

"Hell no," he shook his head. "As long as you know what
you're doing to me-"

"Um hmm," she grinned, and reached for her coffee. She took
a long swallow, watching Chakotay over the rim of the cup.
When she set the mug back down she wiped her mouth with the
back of one hand and laughed deep in her throat.

Then she bent back down to his cock. This time her tongue
circled the tip before she plunged, sucking, as far down as
she could. Chakotay groaned again, squirming. "This isn't
going to take very long," he warned.

Kathryn closed her eyes, breathing hard through her nose as
she sucked on him. Chakotay shook his head, watching her.
When she moved to caress her own breast, squeezing, he
groaned and reached for her, awkwardly. She grasped his hand
and pressed it to her nipple, letting him stroke her, but
shrugged away when he made a move to get up. "Aa ere," she
said incomprehensively, but he understood. Stay there. She
wanted to do this her way.

He fell back on the cushions, fire centering on his cock,
struggling not to clutch Kathryn's head and thrust
uncontrollably into her mouth. She was murmuring, little
deep sounds, and her hands were cupping his ass and stroking
his balls and he didn't think he was going to be able to
stand this much longer-

After a few uncounted minutes he groaned aloud, "You're
going to make me come-dammit, stop," but his heart obviously
wasn't in it and she didn't move, wouldn't stop, her mouth
sucking him and he couldn't hold off. "Aah KATH--" and he
did come, shooting in her mouth, the cry torn from him as
she swallowed every drop, still sucking, bringing spasms and
small gasps from him for a full minute after.

His hands were clenched on the sofa cushions. "Gods. God."
His breath was raw, uneven, as he fought to slow down his
heart. Finally, Kathryn snuggled up against him, wiggling to
make room on the edge of the sofa, one leg thrown over his.

She propped herself up and stared down at Chakotay. One hand
wiped her mouth and she licked her own fingers,
experimentally. "You taste good too," she said smugly,
breathing hard. Her face was flushed.

Chakotay was still trying to catch his breath. "Good god.
How did you ...where did you ever learn to... you've got a
devious, sneaky mind."

Janeway raised her head, staring impassively. "You got a
problem with that?" But her eyes were twinkling.

He started to laugh. "God, you're a smart-ass.
You're...you're..." he swept her under him and gazed down at
her. "You're incredible. You're the sexiest, smartest, most
devious woman in the quadrant."

"Thank you."

"I think you've got that backwards. That was, that was
incredible."

"I could tell you liked it." Janeway's eyes were very
bright.

"Liked it. You could say that. Whatever made you think of
the coffee?"

"A little bird told me? Maybe just that I'm a scientist. I
know about these things. Cause and effect. You know."

"Uh huh. I'm not asking for specifics, Captain," his eyes
flashed merrily at her. "No deep dark secrets. I'll just say
that...your application of applied science was very
appreciated."

"Or my teacher?" Janeway's eyes mocked Chakotay,
challenging.

He refused to be baited. "Or your teacher." Suddenly more
serious, he bent and kissed her. Almost shy. "I didn't mean
that, prying. That was just the most wonderful, surprising-"
he couldn't think of the right words.

"Good."

"And if you don't let me return the favor I'm going to feel
terribly guilty," he added, sliding one hand down between
them to stroke her.

"Wouldn't want that," Kathryn said.

"Come on. Let's go to bed. I don't have the element of
surprise, I'm going to have to get a little bit creative."

Kathryn's eyes widened. "Oh good." Laughing, Chakotay picked
her up and carried her to his bed.

---

"So, you going to tell me about the 'penny-ante bickering'
you've been listening to lately?" Kathryn asked him over
breakfast in the mess hall the next morning.

Chakotay shook his head. "No. I was just being cranky."

"I know, but-"

"There's no need for you to be bothered."

She eyed him doubtfully. "Okay."

"You heading for the bridge, or do you want me to take it?"

"What do you have scheduled?" Janeway swallowed the last bit
of roll from her plate, frowning at the taste.

"I've got an appointment with B'Elanna first thing. She
wants to change the shift roster, she thinks Carey's getting
shorted."

Janeway smiled. A year or two ago, Torres would no more have
stopped to consider Joe Carey's feelings than she would,
well, Janeway's. "And?"

"And then I've got to go over those personnel reqs with
Bailey. Life Sciences is getting more than...uh. Well. Why?"

She ignored the question for a minute. "And?"

Chakotay leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms,
staring at Janeway. "And, let's see. There's half a dozen
people asking to see me. I think they want to change
roommate assignments. Maybe people are...getting ideas."

"Sounds like your morning's pretty full already. I'll take
the bridge."

"Okay. But I thought you wanted to spend some time down in
Astrometrics. Go over the new array with Seven."

"It can wait."

As Janeway rose from her chair, her chief engineer walked
over, breakfast tray in hand. "Captain."

"Morning, B'Elanna." She turned back to Chakotay. "Looks
like you're open for business."

One corner of his mouth turned up. "I offered to trade." He
eyed Janeway meaningfully.

Torres looked from Janeway to Chakotay. "If I'm butting in,
this can wait."

Janeway shook her head. "Commander, I will be on the bridge.
I'm sure you'll find something to do."

"I'll manage. Relieve you at mid-watch?"

"Fine. B'Elanna, this seat's open." As Torres put her tray
down, pulling the chair out, Janeway turned back. "Don't
want to forget this." She looked expressionlessly at
Chakotay, grabbed her coffee cup, deliberately took a
leisurely swallow, and marched out of the mess hall. Torres
sat down, started eating, and stared at Chakotay with an
amused expression on her face.

After a moment he looked over at her. "What?"

"I don't even want to guess what's going through your mind,
but I'd bet a week's rations it isn't Joe Carey."

Chakotay covered his grin with one hand. "Mind your own
business, Lieutenant."

Torres laughed. "Pretty full of ourselves, aren't we?"

He tried a diversionary tactic. "And speaking of betting..."

She frowned. "Don't say it."

"What?"

"I don't want to hear it, old man."

"Okay. But-" Chakotay tugged on one ear and looked at
B'Elanna thoughtfully.

She glowered this time. "Don't."

"What makes you think I was going to-"

"Because you've got that 'this is for your own good' look on
your face all of a sudden, that's why."

Chakotay leaned back in his seat. He shook his head. "Here
we are, B'Ela. You and me." His gaze wandered around the
room, stopping finally on the door where Kathryn had just
left. "Who would've thought."

She smiled at him. "Yeah. Who would've."

He shook himself mentally. Time to get to work. "Finish your
breakfast. You want to do something about giving Joe more
lead time, we're going to have to look at your schedule."

Torres picked up a biscuit from her tray and frowned at the
rest. "I've had enough. Let's go."

When they entered the turbolift, B'Elanna looked at Chakotay
out of the corner of her eye. She didn't say anything. By
the time they entered main engineering, Chakotay had had
enough. "What is it?"

She shrugged. Chakotay was beginning to worry. Torres was
always up front with him. "You've got something on your
mind."

"Yeah, well, maybe a couple things. But..."

"B'Elanna?"

She flashed him a smile. "Nothing bad. Just...um. Let's take
care of this schedule thing first."

"All right."

"Look." Torres punched up a copy of the departmental
schedule. "Joe's covering beta shift two weeks on, one off,
two on. The schedule's a bitch. You just get used to
sleeping one way, you have to change around. I had to do
that when we first got here, I was so tired I was always in
a rotten mood."

Chakotay grinned. "But you're always..." Perhaps wisely, he
refrained from the obvious comment. "All right. What do you
propose we do about it?"

"Well ...Joe's good. And as chief engineer, I shouldn't be
doing all the day to day stuff anyway."

"And?"

"I think he should be crew chief down here on alpha shift.
I'd pull my shift, same as always, but he'd be my, well, my
second."

He folded his arms and leaned against the console. "You
don't think you'd lock heads all the time?"

She flared up. "Why do you always assume I'm going to--All
right, all right, stop laughing. No, I don't. I think it'll
work fine. And it'll give me some time to do the research
that we need, or at least head it."

"I think it's a great idea," Chakotay said softly. "I've
been wondering when you'd suggest it."

She flushed. "If you already thought of it, why didn't you
say something?"

"B'Ela... it's your department."

Her color deepened at the implied compliment. "Oh."

"So." Chakotay studied the readout she'd suggested,
thumbprinted it, and turned back to the chief engineer.
"That makes it official.. It's up to you now."

"That's it? No discussion, no argument?"

He shook his head. "Your problem, not mine."

Torres smiled warmly. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "About
that other thing. .."

He straightened imperceptibly. "Yeah."

"Um... can we go into my office?"

"Sure." Chakotay followed Torres into the cramped cubicle
that comprised the engineering office. B'Elanna swept a pile
of printouts to one side as Chakotay perched on the corner
of her desk. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, um," her eyes darted nervously around for a minute
before she folded her arms and frowned at him. "Seven, for
one thing."

"Oh." Chakotay shook his head, hiding his reaction. "Is she
giving you a problem?"

"Chakotay..." B'Elanna practically hissed, her voice low,
"she is a problem. Don't tell me you don't know it."

He was silent for a moment. "She's...one we have to live
with, B'Elanna."

"It's.." Torres pressed her lips together, cutting off the
words she really wanted to say. "Okay. I know. We have this
situation. We've got her, whether we want her or not. But...
you've assigned her to engineering. You made it pretty damn
clear I was getting her whether I wanted her or
not...Commander."

"Yes. I did." Chakotay met her gaze. "No choice."

Torres sagged back in her chair. "Yeah...I guess. I'm
trying. Really, I am."

"I know." His voice was softer now.

"But Chakotay... I don't trust her. I'm really trying to
give her a fair chance. But it's hard, it's very hard, not
to go behind her and check everything she does. Not because
I think she'll screw things up by accident. But because I
really don't know what her goals are. What she might try to
do. And she's good. She's smart."

"I know," he repeated. "But we...we deal with what we've
got, B'Elanna. Whether you like it or not...whether I like
it or not. I know you understand that."

"Yeah. Yeah." She glared up at him. "But you should know how
I feel. I haven't put anything in my log. But I want you to
know. I'm watching her."

"Okay." He didn't say 'good', but B'Elanna thought she could
hear it anyway. So. She was right. Chakotay didn't trust the
Borg either. No matter what official policy he was willing
to carry out.

She nodded to herself, satisfied. She'd wanted Chakotay to
know how worried she was. Apparently he was too. But there
was a lot more going on with him right now than just worry.
"And then there's this other thing..."

Chakotay tilted his head, curious at the change in tone.
Torres leaned back in her chair, studying him, her
expression a little softer. "I've...been hearing some
interesting rumors."

"Oh." A tiny smile, instantly banished, played around
Chakotay's eyes.

She frowned at him, working hard to not to get up and give
him a hug and tell him how glad she was for him. "It's
nothing much. Just that maybe the policy upstairs on
fraternization may have...mellowed. It certainly looks that
way to me."

"B'Elanna..."

She cut him off. "And a very good friend of mine," her voice
tightened up a bit, "who I've been watching be pretty
miserable for I don't know how long, this very good friend
didn't have the balls to mention this to me himself. Like he
thought maybe I didn't even care."

Chakotay eased himself into the chair beside her desk. "If I
didn't know better I'd say you were really pissed at me."

"Maybe you shouldn't know better. So...uh...you going to
tell me about it?"

"...I...I can't. It's... " He studied his hands for a
moment. "Not without, well, breaking a confidence." But his
face betrayed him and he smiled helplessly, gaze still
averted.

"Chakotay..." Torres leaned forward and touched his sleeve,
forcing him to look at her. "I'm not asking for anything on
the record. I just see my friend sitting here and...he looks
happy. And that's good."

Unconsciously, Chakotay touched his chest with one hand. He
shook his head, unwilling to lie. "I...it's...B'Ela, there
are no words. My heart is so full I can't keep it all in."

Torres looked down for a moment, blinking. "I'm glad. For a
long time...well, I was worried about you. It seemed very
hard on you."

Chakotay grinned without thinking. Torres snorted. "For
god's sake, now you're acting like a kid."

"I know. It's ridiculous." Chakotay stood up, suddenly
unable to contain himself. He smiled down at B'Elanna. "You
mean you hadn't noticed? I'm ten years younger. And taller."
He laughed suddenly, mostly at himself. "A couple inches
taller. I'm sure of it."

His good mood was infectious. Torres stood up, grinning back
at him. "So you want to tell me what that was about, the
other day on the bridge? When you came back from Diminis.
Tom and Harry were full of stories that day."

"Yeah. I bet they were."

"That was the first I'd even heard of it, you pig," she
said, cuffing him soundly on the arm.

"Ouch, hey, watch it."

"You watch it," she growled at him. "You should have heard
what they said!"

"Oh," Chakotay said, his tone changing. "Which was what."

Torres rolled her eyes. "Oh, stick it out sideways. If the
captain's going to call you into her ready room, supposedly
to read you the riot act, and she comes out of there covered
with whatever it was you got yourself into down on
Diminis...what the hell do you think people are going to
say?"

He sat back down. "So they noticed, huh?"

"Noticed? You should have seen the payoffs that night."

Chakotay grinned. "I did." Then he did a classic double
take, laughing at her. "Oh, you mean the betting pools.
Those payoffs."

"Oh, god. You're going to be insufferable for a while,
aren't you."

"Probably."

"Shit. I don't think I want to-"

Chakotay was serious for a moment. "Listen. Do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Ask Tom not to talk this around too much, would you?"

"Chakotay...it's kind of late for that."

"I know. But just until Kathryn...until she settles a few
things in her own mind. She won't lie. She wouldn't ask me
to lie. But..."

"But she'd like to see if she can really stand to have you
around, listen to you snore, learn all your bad habits.
Before she says anything to the crew."

"Yeah."

Torres shrugged. "I'll ask him. I'll tell him. He'll keep
quiet."

"Thanks."

She grinned. "As if that'll do any good."

---

Chakotay was finally heading for his office. Ted McKenzie
had caught him leaving Engineering and spent ten minutes
complaining up one side and down the other that there was
nothing to do on this goddamn boat and didn't Chakotay think
the captain could loosen up on their replicator rations and
holodeck privileges. He'd talked so much Chakotay hadn't
even had to tell him that the captain never bothered to
check on the rationing schedule, it was Chakotay himself who
had worked out the limits with the computer. Fortunately
McKenzie also talked himself into a solution. When he left
he was promising he'd get together with Lieutenant Paris to
see if they could invent another interactive holoprogram
like the Insurrection Alpha story, so everybody could get
involved. Hell of a solution. McKenzie had thanked him
twice.

It should all be so simple. Chris Bailey was due at 0900 and
Chakotay was running late. Fortunately, so was the
lieutenant from Life Sciences. They met at the turbolift.

Bailey was petite, blonde, demure-looking. The first
impression was misleading. She'd fight like a tiger for what
she considered the rights and benefits due her department.
She immediately went on the offensive. "I heard you were
going to cut our requisition in half, Commander. I don't
think we can even function if we don't get the personnel I
requested. And cutting into our computer time--"

He held up a hand. "Let's go up. I want to show you
something."

She turned with him into the lift, her impatience visible.
Chakotay led the way into his office. "Sit down."

"I don't think you understand the situation. We're operating
on bare bones as it is. And Medical gets first dibs on
everything. How are we supposed-"

"Bailey."

"-to run a full schedule with the limited-"

"Bailey."

She heard him this time. "Yes sir."

"Take a look at this." Chakotay pulled up a partial roster
of crew assignments on his monitor, ticking off items she
could see on screen. "Hydroponics, staff is short two.
Security, the same. Stellar is down three from their full
complement, and if it wasn't for the Delaneys pulling double
shifts twice a week it'd be even worse. Seven's been working
down there some, but she's been assigned primarily to
Engineering. Her transwarp knowledge is too valuable to use
anywhere else. So that doesn't help much. You can see where
I'm heading with this."

"Yes, but-"

"Medical, you said they get first dibs, hell, with Kes gone
the doc hasn't even got a full-time staff. You know we're
trying to cross-train everyone. He's got *Paris* as a
part-time nurse. He's pulling bridge crew off their main
job. And you're telling me you're short-handed?"

"I know, but this is really important. If we can't keep on
top of the data coming in-"

Chakotay leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "So
you think cataloging in Life Sciences, and your research, is
more important than bridge duty?"

She flushed. "I didn't mean that. It's just, well, it's hard
to function with half the crew we need."

"I know that. I also know that every department on this ship
is shorthanded. And half the people we've got aren't
properly trained in the areas we need."

She pressed on doggedly. "That's another thing. We had Ayala
in there the other day. Half the specimans he tested had to
be redone. We've got to get better skills in there."

"Bailey. I appreciate that you're doing a difficult job
under tough circumstances. But we just haven't got people to
spare. And as for computer time, you've got full access,
same as everybody."

"Well, we do, but sometimes we get backlogged for hours at a
time. I can't function like this."

"Excuse me?" His eyes narrowed.

"I, well, this is really too much. If our work doesn't have
priority-"

"Bailey. Every department on this ship deserves priority.
Which would you downsize?"

"I don't know. Surely there's some areas that could spare
somebody."

"Could spare somebody...untrained? You'd need 100 man-hours
just to bring them up to speed."

"Well, I didn't mean just anybody. But there must be
something you can do."

A swift kick in the ass wouldn't hurt, Chakotay thought, but
he didn't let it show. "I'll take it under advisement. No
promises, though."

She rose, dissatisfied but knowing that was the best she was
going to get. "I just have to emphasize how important this
is, Commander. We've got to have more staff."

"We're one hundred and forty seven people, Lieutenant.
Trying to cover twenty-eight science specialties, keep the
ship running, and improve our defensive capabilities. You're
just going to have to make do. If I can get you more bodies,
I will."

And that's it? Her thought was clear, but she nodded. "Yes
sir."

As the door closed behind her, Chakotay pinched the bridge
of his nose. The hell of it was, she was right. They needed
more people. They needed more training. And other than what
they were already trying, there wasn't a damn thing he could
do about it.

---

He looked up as the door buzzed. "Come on in, Barry."

Barry Largeacres looked uncomfortable. "Hey, Commander."

"What's up? Everything okay in the lab?"

"Yeah. We think we may have found a way to boost sensor
efficiency by about ten percent if we can-um, anyway. That's
not what I needed to see you about."

Chakotay leaned back, studying the Denebian. "Okay. What's
on your mind?"

Largeacres studied his hands for a moment. He avoided
looking directly at Chakotay. "Um, look. I know you really
worked your ass off so you could get Linda and me assigned
quarters together."

Chakotay shrugged. It had taken a little juggling, but it
was good to be able to actually grant a request instead of
constantly saying not today, not right not, not enough.
"So...everything going all right?"

"Um...well..." Largeacres didn't answer directly. " I know
neither of us is exactly ideal roommate material. We can't
help it if we smell funny to humans. It's a natural
secretion, it's like marking our territory. It's part of the
glands."

"I know," Chakotay offered. "It's just sort of...disturbing.
I'm sure you've been told what it reminds people of."

"Oh yeah. 'Watch out for the Denebian, you spend a few hours
in his quarters you'll smell like a whorehouse on payday."

With an effort, Chakotay didn't smile. "There's worse
things."

"Yeah...yeah, well, that's partly sort of why I'm coming to
see you now. It's about Linda."

"What about her?" Chakotay was more guarded now.

"Well...I really like her...we get along fine...I thought we
did. But she's driving me up the floor!"

Shit. "Why?"

"Well, for one thing, she's got to have all the lights out
when she sleeps. All of 'em! How in all the Worlds am I
supposed to get a good night's sleep when it's completely
dark! It's unnatural."

"You could just change shifts. Stagger your sleeping hours."

"We can't. We're working on two projects together, Peterson
says we have to finish 'em before we can change shifts. And
Linda," Largeacres obviously wasn't finished complaining,
"She, well, she doesn't wear any clothes in bed! I mean, it
isn't like we share a bed or anything, but still."

"And...that's a problem." Chakotay kept his expression
carefully neutral.

"Well...I'm not in season, myself, so that's all right. And
it's not like she means anything by it, her hearts are the
right place," he touched his chest automatically. "But it's
just so, so distasteful to me. How am I supposed to live
with someone like that? And she won't even let me play my
music when I go to bed. It's not like it's loud, or
anything," he added defensively.

Chakotay nodded seriously. "So...this is driving you crazy.
Sharing quarters with someone who...smells like sex. And
likes to sleep in the dark. Nude. And wants it quiet."

"Well, yeah. How am I supposed to function like that? I
mean, could you?"

Chakotay ignored that. "Didn't the two of you discuss all
this before you made your request?"

"Well, yeah, but we thought, I thought we'd be able to
adjust. Or she'd...well...go along with what I..."

Staring at the ceiling, Chakotay pursed his lips. "I suppose
it wouldn't mean anything to you if I told how many people
aboard this ship would find all those conditions perfectly
satisfactory."

"Well-well-then let them have her. Uh. I mean-"

"I know what you mean. Let me put it this way, Barry. I
really twisted some arms to get you Linda as a roommate. You
both wanted it so much, you were going to be such good
friends. So now... I think the first thing you've got to do
is post a notice looking for a roommate. Better the request
comes from you. If that doesn't work...I'll see what I can
do. I have to tell you, it probably isn't going to be at the
top of my list."

"Please, Commander. We're really driving each other crazy."

"Just tell me one thing. This isn't 'drive me crazy', as in,
'I'm crazy about her. Is it? Because if I have to find other
roommates for both of you...and believe me, it's going to
take some arranging....and then you tell me you didn't mean
it-"

"Oh no, sir, I wouldn't do that."

"Because if you do, you're going to be sleeping in Cargo
Two. In the other regen chamber, the one Seven isn't using.
You got that?"

"Uh...yes. Sir. Yessir."

"Fine."

"I, um, I really appreciate it. I really-"

"Barry."

"Sir?"

"Go."

---

Rosie Gonzales dropped by just before lunch. Chakotay looked
up in surprise. "What brings you here? You never come see me
on duty."

She shrugged, uncomfortable. "Yeah, well, you don't spend as
much time with us as you used to.. ."

"'Us'? Come on Rosie, is it still 'us' and 'them'?"

"Naw, not really. I, er. . ." She was clearly uncomfortable.

"What is it? Used to be we could talk about anything."

"Well, we had to be able to, then." Chakotay just waited.
Gonzales shrugged. "Okay, Mr. Big Shot Second in Command,
I've got a little problem and it's your fault."

"My fault."

"Yeah. Kenny Domanski."

"What about him?"

She flushed. "He won't leave me alone, that's what. Ever
since we spent that night together on Diminis."

Chakotay snorted. "You didn't 'spend the night together',
you were stuck down there like we all were until we could be
beamed aboard. It's not the same thing."

"Yeah." Gonzales shifted in her chair. "That's the way you
look at it. That's the way I look at it. But Kenny. .
.apparently he thinks snuggling up to me to keep warm
constitutes a real social introduction. I never even saw him
much before this, you know Geology doesn't have much to do
with Security, why should we, which is fine with me, we did
enough 'security' shit back in the old days. I have no
interest in repeating the experience."

"So what's he doing that's such a problem?"

"Well geez, he's invented a reason every day this week to
come down and talk to me, he's pressuring me to go to the
holodeck with him, he's taken to wearing perfume, for god's
sake. He's really being a pest."

"And you're coming to me with this."

"Yeah, well, I thought maybe you could talk to him." She
flashed a look at Chakotay from under dark lashes.

"Because you don't know how to say no to him without it
being a big deal? I can't believe I'm hearing this. For that
matter I can't believe you're having a hard time with it.
You never used to," he teased.

"Well-I thought-coming from you, it would have a little more
weight." Gonzales avoided looking at Chakotay.

He leaned forward. "Is he harassing you? Is this a 'File
247' issue?"

Gonzales looked horrified. "You mean, official? No, no, I
don't want anything to go on his record."

"So what is it you're not telling me here?"

"Nothing. Not a thing."

"But you wanted him to think you had pull with the brass.
For crying out loud, Rosie, I can't do that. I wouldn't if I
could."

She sunk a little lower in her seat. "I...just, well..."

"Rosie. Tell him he's not your type. Tell him you like
Bajorans better. Hell, tell him you like girls better.
Either way, it's not my problem. Not unless there's
something else going on here."

"I guess not."

"Then get out of here. I've got work to do." Gonzales
sighed, a little bit red-faced. When she got to the door she
turned around. "So you gonna come to the party tomorrow
night? We've got Sandrines reserved for the evening, a lot
of the guys are going to be there."

"The guys...you mean, like P'Triy...Ayala...Simmis."

"Yeah. You're such a stranger anymore."

"I'll try, Rosie. If you want me to come."

She nodded once. "Yeah. You should. You're not just
Starfleet, you know."

At the look on her face, a little tentative, a little
defensive, Chakotay frowned. "I haven't forgotten."

"Maybe." She tilted her head. "So you'll come?"

"...Maybe. For a little while."

"You could...if you want to, you could bring a date."

His expression instantly shuttered, Chakotay stared at her.
Gonzales turned away, flushing, then looked back almost
defiantly at her commanding officer. "If you think she'd
like to come. She'd be welcome."

Chakotay got up from behind his desk, crossing over to the
door where Gonzales stood. "You mean that, don't you." He
tipped her head up to meet his eyes.

"...Yeah. You, well, you oughta know that. She'd...you'd
both be welcome."

He gave her a quick hug. "Thank you, Rosalita. That means a
lot."

"So, what do you think? You gonna come?"

"We'll see. I'll try. It's...it'd be fun."

As he released her, she grinned at him. "Ask her not to wear
the damn uniform."

---

The quiet afternoon on the bridge he was hoping for didn't
materialize. As soon as he'd settled in, relaxing and
sharing a joke with the captain, Nordstrom called him and
asked for a conference. If it was convenient. Well, both
senior officers didn't need to be on the bridge at the same
time, not in this peaceful sector. So he went down to
Hydroponics.

Then Neelix wanted to know where he could possibly keep the
new supply of falla they'd just picked up. Cargo Three had
been the Talaxian's until now, but it was full of dilithium.
They couldn't keep foodstuffs in the same area as the raw
ore, not even contained as it was. One more logistical
demand to juggle.

The rest of the afternoon was more of the same. It was a
relief to make his way back to the bridge for the usual
end-of-shift briefing. Janeway was handing the reins to
Tuvok when Chakotay left the turbolift. He followed her into
the ready room.

"Hi." Janeway nodded at the stack of PADDS Chakotay carried.
"Busy day?"

He put the reports on her desk. "So-so."

"Looks like you've--" Her voice trailed off as Chakotay
stepped nearer, trapping her next to the desk so that she
had to lean back against it. Her tone softened. "Looks
like...my first officer is glad to see me."

"Your first officer," Chakotay bent to kiss her, one hand
sliding down her neck to her shoulder, "is just having a
little trouble keeping his hands off the captain."

Not moving away, Janeway spoke against his mouth. "Got to
work on that, Commander. We're still on duty." But her hand
trailed down his torso as she spoke, lingering, wanting the
contact as much as he did.

"Aye...Captain." Chakotay stepped back reluctantly, nodding
agreement though his voice betrayed him. "Still on duty.
Reprimand noted."

"Good."

They stared at each other, eyes smiling, for a long moment
before Chakotay cleared his throat, trying to bring his
attention back to business. He spoke softly. "I'll get
better at this. It's just so new...when I walk into a room
and you're there, everything else goes away."

"...I know. But we can't let it get in the way." Janeway
looked him up and down and blushed suddenly. "Of work, I
mean."

Chakotay grinned. "I know what you mean." He nodded at the
PADDS. "Reports for you. But the top one is my summary. I
could just give it to you verbally. Fill you in..."

Her eyes sparkled. "I'm sure you could. Maybe you'd better
just-" Janeway pushed away from the desk and leaned against
him. After a minute she shook her head. "Damn. I told you
you were distracting." She smiled at the wry look on his
face and shrugged in answer. "Reprimand noted...Commander."

They moved apart, Janeway circling her desk to sit down
behind it. "So what do I need to know about here?" She
gestured toward the reports.

Chakotay nodded and settled into a chair.

They spent an hour going over recommendations, scuttlebut,
and the latest reports from department heads, including the
matter-of-fact summary Chakotay had prepared after Bailey's
visit. Harry Kim brought in an ops report for the shift
change, all business, though he seemed to be smiling a lot.
There were no other interruptions and they finished the
day's rundown only a little after end of shift. Finally
Janeway leaned back, stretching. "It's getting to be
dinnertime."

"I'll buy." Chakotay stood up and walked behind the desk,
reaching to rub her shoulders.

Janeway closed her eyes, letting herself enjoy the touch.
"Aren't you getting short on rations? I know I am." She
smiled without opening her eyes. They'd been spending most
of their off time for the past week, including mealtimes, in
her quarters or Chakotay's.

"Actually-yes."

"Then we should go to the mess hall. Besides, we've got
to...go outside...one of these days."

He leaned down to kiss the top of her head, then pulled
Janeway to her feet. "You know the gossip is off the scale
by now."

"Uh huh. I'm not as out of touch as you think." She turned
her face up to Chakotay, slipping her arms around his waist.
"I have my sources."

"I'm sure you do, Captain." He kissed her briefly, then
again, lingering, and pulled back a bit. "We could
just...lock the door."

Janeway stared at him. "Commander...don't tempt me."

Chakotay nuzzled at her neck. "No?"

She rubbed her face against his. "Oh my. No. I mean it. This
is your captain speaking..." But she didn't move away. She
stayed where she was, wrapped in his arms, breathing in the
smell and feel of him.

Chakotay closed his eyes. "I know. We might have hours
undisturbed. But somebody could also come through that door
any minute with an emergency."

Janeway nodded. "You understand this, Chakotay. I can't let
this," she brushed a hand over his neck, down his back,
emphasizing the intimate touch. "I can't let this compromise
our safety. Even our duty. Ever. You know that as well as I
do."

He nodded, releasing her and pushing himself away. "Of
course I do."

"Well then." She turned toward the door.

"Wait a minute. Please." Chakotay tugged at her hand. "This
is important."

Janeway turned to him, leaning against the bulkhead. "You
sound serious."

"I'm...we haven't talked about this. Not really."

"I'm not sure what you mean by 'this'."

Chakotay shrugged. "The command structure. Our relationship.
Our work." Janeway tilted her head, watching him. Chakotay
led her back to the sofa. He sat down, pulling her to sit
beside him. "Listen for a minute."

"I think I have to say this." He reached out, grasping her
hands in his. "I love you. I respect you. I respect your
position."

"I know that. I-"

Chakotay held up one hand, asking her to wait. "Hear me out.
This is just...for the record. Kathryn...Captain. I would
never...by choice, I will never allow our relationship to
interfere with the safety of this vessel. Any more than I
would ever, as much as I can control, try to bring our
relationship into the command structure. I know you know
this. I'm saying it, only so you know that I've thought
about it. That I take it every bit as seriously as you do."

Janeway's eyes were very soft. "Chakotay. I do know that.
Truly, I do. I've never for one moment doubted it."

He touched her cheek. "It's important. It's important to me
that you know I take it seriously. I get a little carried
away sometimes," he smiled. "But I only need to be reminded.
I said...I'll get better at this."

"Oh, love," Janeway sighed, her cheeks stained with pink,
"you think I don't understand? Don't you know it's me I have
to remind? I want to just...run away with you to the
holodeck and disappear for a week and take away all your
clothes and never leave your arms. That's what I want. And I
can't do that. And you are a...constant temptation. Don't
you know that?" She reached out to cup his cheek in the palm
of her hand.

Chakotay turned his head, kissing her fingers. "Yes. I'm
beginning to. I'm beginning to believe that I won't
just...wake up and find this is a lovely dream that..." He
kept his eyes turned away, his own color rising.

"Chakotay," Janeway whispered. He looked back at her
finally, his eyes bright. She swallowed. "I'll spend the
next 60 years convincing you. If you'll let me."

"Fair enough." And he leaned forward, kissing her gently, to
seal the bargain. A smile quirked the corners of his mouth.
"But not-"

She nodded in understanding. "But not in my ready room. Not
on duty."

"All right. If we leave the bridge, we're off duty, Kathryn.
As much as we can ever be. What do you say we call it a
day."

"Let's." She stood up, taking a deep breath. "I'll get this
figured out. Trust me."

"Sure," he said easily.

"Besides, Commander. We've got to eat. And we might as well
face the public. Everybody's speculating anyway."

"Ah." Chakotay looked squarely at her. "Not just
speculating."

"Which means?"

"B'Elanna asked me about it this morning. Asked about you."

"Did she." Kathryn sighed. "And?"

"She wasn't trying to pry. Exactly." Chakotay hesitated.

"She cares about you."

"Yeah."

"What did you tell her?"

"That I couldn't break a confidence." Chakotay shrugged.
"But I didn't deny anything, either."

"She's got eyes." Janeway looked away for a moment, then
shook her head. "And you're not a good liar, anyway. I
wouldn't want--" She stopped in mid-sentence.

"So." Chakotay brushed her cheek lightly.

"So, we'll...I'll figure this out sooner or later, really.
Sooner."

He grabbed the top three PADDS off the desk as Kathryn
palmed the door open. "Maybe sooner than you'd thought.
We've, um, been asked to a party tomorrow night."

Janeway turned to him, hands on her hips. "What?"

"I didn't say we'd come...I said I'd ask. I said maybe."

She stopped for a moment in thought, then went out onto the
bridge. "We'll see about that, Commander."

"Okay."

D'Elassandro was waiting to speak to the captain, had been
waiting for quite a while in fact. "I'm sorry, I didn't know
you were here, Ensign. You should have buzzed in." She shot
a look at Chakotay, sharing a wry smile at what D'Elassandro
could have been interrupting. She breathed a silent sigh of
thanks to the little voice of conscience. Because that had
been all that had stopped her...

The technician shrugged. "Just a couple things I wanted to
ask you about, Captain. It wasn't urgent or anything."

Janeway turned to her first officer. "Why don't you go on
ahead. I'll meet you in the mess hall in a little while."

"All right." Chakotay nodded to Donaldson at ops, spoke
briefly to Carey at the engineering station, and then
stepped into the turbolift.

---

It was an hour before Janeway got to the mess hall. The
crowd had thinned a little, but the room was still half full
as she made her way to the table near the back where
Chakotay sat with Torres and Tom Paris.

Chakotay stood up as she approached. "Problem?"

"No. There were a couple things Sandy wanted to ask about. I
thought about going down to freshen up, but I knew you were
waiting." Kathryn looked around the mess hall for a moment.
"Mostly, I was thinking."

He was very aware that they weren't alone. "And..."

Smiling, Kathryn shook her head. "Nothing much. Just
reflecting on life and...something somebody said to me about
not doing things halfway."

"Ah." Some expression, too fleeting to be read, crossed
Chakotay's face. The smile lit only his eyes. "I'm sure
you'll tell me about it when you're ready."

She nodded and sat down. "So...have you eaten?" Her glance
included all three.

B'Elanna shrugged. "He," she nodded at Chakotay, "was
waiting for you. Tom and I ate already. We were just..."

"Hanging around?" Chakotay offered.

"Keeping you company," she retorted. "Which you have now, so
we're leaving. Tom?" She collected Paris with a glance.

Or tried to. As the engineer stood up, Janeway put a hand
out to stop her. Her tone was innocuous. "B'Elanna, a
minute, please."

Torres tone was friendly. "Captain?"

"I heard you had an...interesting conversation this
morning." Janeway kept the grin off her face with an effort.

Torres' eyes snapped back to Chakotay. "You didn't."

Chakotay tried to look innocent. "B'Elanna, I-"

"I'm going to kill you."

He tried again. "But I--"

"You're a pig. You're worse than a pig. You're not even fit
to eat-" Janeway coughed. Torres didn't stop. "I'm going to
skin you alive and use your worthless hide as a-"

"Oh, don't, please," Kathryn murmured, her eyes radiating
amusement. "I'm kind of fond of his skin the way it is."

The half-klingon flushed, embarrassment warring with humor
across her features. Laughter won out, barely. "Damn. And
they say women are gossips."

"Hell of a note, isn't it," Janeway agreed.

"Is anybody going to tell me what this is about?" Paris
interjected, trying to sound hurt.

Three pairs of eyes turned to him. Chakotay cleared his
throat. Torres and Janeway turned, after a moment, to each
other. "No," said Janeway.

"I don't think so," said Torres.

They looked at each other in perfect understanding. "Thank
you, Lieutenant," Janeway smiled.

"Any time, Captain." Torres tugged at Tom's arm. "We're
leaving, remember?"

He collected his tray hurriedly. "Why do I have the feeling
I'm leaving just when it's starting to get good around-"

"Because you know what's good for you," Chakotay offered.

"-and I have a feeling I'm going to miss all the fun-"

"Strong sense of self-preservation," Janeway noted to
Chakotay, ignoring Tom. "I like that. He'll go far."

"Maybe," Chakotay shrugged, "assuming he can survive-" He
nodded at the departing pair.

Eyes sparkling, Janeway studied Chakotay. After a moment she
reached across the table and touched her hand to his cheek.
She cleared her throat and continued the unspoken thought
from earlier. "--as that very wise person said to me, I
shouldn't do things halfway."

"No," Chakotay shook his head, eyes lingering on her hand as
Janeway dropped it to the table, "he didn't say you
shouldn't. He said you didn't."

"One thing at a time," Kathryn smiled. "One step. Then one
more."

He nodded. "That's fine. That's more than enough. It doesn't
matter."

She tilted her head. "It doesn't?"

Chakotay covered her hand with his. Just for a touch. Then
drew it back. "Not really. Because you're here. That's all
that matters."

"Yes."

As they got up to head for the canteen line, Janeway added
as an afterthought, "She's wrong, you know."

"Who? B'Elanna?"

"Um hmm." They joined the line of crew collecting trays, and
she turned to Chakotay, her command façade in place. She
pitched her voice low, so that even leaning close he could
barely hear. "Definitely wrong. You're very..."

Chakotay's eyes widened as he struggled to keep a straight
face.

"...fit to eat."

They were heading out of the mess hall before Janeway
remembered the question she'd meant to ask. "Whose party?"

"Um...Rosie Gonzales asked me."

Ah. That could mean it was a get-together of science techs.
Or the whole fifth deck. Or mostly Maquis. Janeway didn't
ask. She nodded once. "Tell her we'll come."

"You sure?"

"No. It scares me actually. But let's go anyway."

As they entered the turbolift, Chakotay grinned. "Biggest
balls on the ship."

Janeway laughed.

---

to be continued in 'A Fine Line'