The BLTS Archive- A Singularly Strange Day
by Jaye (reader8901@fastmail.fm)

---

(Copyright March 2003)

Disclaimer: Star Trek and all related characters and concepts are the
property of Paramount. No infringement is intended or profit made.
This is PG-13 for strong language and suggestions of m/m sex. If you
aren't interested (or aren't old enough), don't read it.

Archive: Drop me a note first so I know where it's going. Please keep
the text (especially the disclaimer) intact.

Feedback: Sure but be kind, or at least constructive.

Note: No P/T. Inspired by the two minutes I saw of the Enterprise
episode "Singularity".

---

"Chakotay to Voyager. Come in, Voyager." Chakotay's brow furrowed as
silence  answered him once more. He studied the sensor readouts: as
far as he could tell,  the ship was functioning normally and all crew
members were accounted for.  Voyager floated serenely inside an
asteroid field that Chakotay carefully  threaded his own much smaller
vessel through. There was no evidence to indicate  anything untoward
had occurred while he was away investigating a wormhole a few 
light-years distant.

The spatial portal was too small for a ship or even a shuttle, but the
Captain  wanted to eliminate the possibility that the exit was in the
Alpha Quadrant.  There was always the slim chance they might find
another tiny conduit through  which to communicate with the folks back
home.

Chakotay had enjoyed his quiet time on this easy mission. He'd sent a
few  probes, taken some readings, and basically used the rest of the
days alone to  unwind.

Drifting in still solitude among the stars, Chakotay had allowed the
nebulous  yearnings of the months past to coalesce into...love. A
secret buried under  irritation and annoyance and friction, under
camaraderie and amusement and  warmth, under lust and desire and heat.

Chakotay found he loved, of all people, Tom Paris.

The shock faded in a day or so. It even started to make sense after a
while. Tom  was no longer the way-too-old-to-be-an-adolescent jerk
he'd been in the Maquis.  Tom had matured emotionally on Voyager's
journey, growing into his place among  the crew. Fitting into his own
skin. Becoming his own man.

A man Chakotay found he'd lost his heart to without even being aware
of it.

Not that Chakotay was planning to do anything about his feelings
beyond  acknowledge them. There didn't seem to be much point.

Tom had already done the tall, dark, and handsome thing with Greg
Ayala in a  whirlwind affair that sparked, flamed, and faded within a
month.

He'd also tried shorter and soulful with Harry Kim. *That*
relationship had held  more than a touch of incest, Harry and Tom were
so close to being brothers.  Chakotay had formed that opinion even
though he'd been unaware of his own  attraction to Tom at the time.

And Chakotay knew he hadn't been the only one relieved when the
aberrant  attraction resolved back into friendship two weeks later.

A few brief flings with both Fleet and Maquis females had added
notches to Tom's  bedpost in the months following the Paris/Kim
coupling. Currently, Tom was in  hot pursuit of a Delaney sister.
Chakotay wasn't even sure if the blond's target  was Megan or
Jenny---or both.

So there wasn't really any reason to consider approaching Tom with his
own  romantic notions. But it also didn't hurt---too much---to wonder
what it might  be like....

In his remaining free time Chakotay indulged in a few daydreams
starring himself  and the handsome blond. He imagined different
scenarios where he took the  initiative. Let Tom know that friendship
was the least of the emotions Chakotay  felt toward him.

Of course, in the fantasies things always turned out well. Tom leapt
into his  arms and his bed and his life with all the enthusiasm the
younger man was known  for. But with a commitment that Tom had until
now shown no hints of. Happily  ever after, complete with a moonlit
proposal.

Chakotay's lips quirked ruefully as absurdity momentarily distracted
him from  his worry.

*Of course* all of his dreams had happy endings. He wasn't about to
deliberately  conjure up a nightmare. But he had to admit the images
were enticing. Almost  enough to ponder going on the hunt for Tom
himself.

Almost.

Chakotay shook himself out of his reverie and tapped in the remote
overrides to  open the shuttlebay doors. He parked the small vessel
and powered down.

He got into an environmental suit in case the crew had again fallen
victim to  some kind of pathogen like the macrovirus, then
re-pressurized the shuttlebay  and stepped out, wondering what he
would find.

---

An hour later, Chakotay was out of his environmental suit and under a
console in  Sick Bay. He was attempting to bring the EMH on-line. He
was also trying to  figure out what the heck to do.

Voyager was in chaos---and in danger. The main computer was down, the
ship was  drifting and bumping into asteroids, and no one was on the
bridge. Or the engine  room. Everybody seemed to be locked in their
cabins.

The logs painted a pretty clear picture of the incident. Voyager had
encountered  a race of aliens who seemed friendly enough. Kathryn had
traded for a chart of  the expanse of asteroids. The deal was
concluded amicably and the visitors  departed. A course was plotted
through the field and Voyager had stopped just  outside, waiting for
Chakotay to catch up.

The problems began an hour later. Crewmembers became distracted,
ignoring their  consoles, leaving their posts. Oblivious to everyone
and everything.

Except the person or persons they decided to have sex with.

Apparently the aliens exuded a pheromone that had a powerful, if
somewhat  delayed, effect on Alpha Quadrant species. The ventilation
system along with a  typical ship tour had spread the particles to
every deck. Libidos spiked,  inhibitions disappeared, obsessions
spiraled out of control and suddenly  everyone on Voyager was shacked
up with the one who inspired their most secret  passions.

Chakotay was stunned by some of the pairings---not to mention the
multiples.  Kathryn and Tuvok, B'Elanna and Harry, Dalby and Chell,
Vorick and the Delaney  twins. Even Neelix was affected. He and Sam
Wildman had apparently hooked up.  Fortunately, Naomi seemed immune to
the substance. Chakotay speculated that her  pre-pubescent lack of
certain hormones was the reason. She was fast asleep  behind a
forcefield in her room.

He stopped reading the Doc's list after Neelix and Sam. He really
didn't want to  know who Tom had ended up with. Who sparked the other
man's deepest desires.

But he did notice with a twinge that Seven hadn't been mentioned yet
in the  report either. Along with 140 other possible lovers.

According to the logs, the Doc had figured out the problem pretty
quickly and  flushed the airducts. Then he'd started on an antidote to
the airborne love  potion.

The computer problems were a result of people using the nearest
horizontal  surfaces to express their newfound attractions before
heading off to their more  comfortable cabins. The Doc's disappearance
was his own fault. Two lieutenants  from the Science division had
decided to test drive the biobeds and got angry  when the hologram
pitched a hissy fit. They retaliated by turning him off and  hiding
his program so he couldn't be retrieved for hours. And they'd done a
darn  good job of it.

Chakotay had locked the workstations and stabilized the warp core.
He'd also  managed to bring a few systems back on-line, but so far
he'd been unable to  retrieve the Doctor so the hologram could start
work on a counteragent.

Chakotay admitted defeat and stood, shooting an irritated glance
toward the  opaque forcefield hiding his crewmates. From the sound
effects they were  probably putting the biobeds to good use.

He crossed to a wall panel and accessed the sensors. So far nothing
had damaged  the hull, but he needed to get Voyager out of the
asteroid field. Away from the  disaster waiting to happen. He couldn't
afford to wait for the crew to recover.  There was no telling how long
they'd be...indisposed.

But he also couldn't do the job alone. Kathryn's original plan was to
have Tom  pilot Voyager while Chakotay processed the information from
Ops and acted as  navigator.

It was still a good plan. All Chakotay needed was the pilot.

With a groan Chakotay scrubbed his hands over his face and steeled
himself to  interrupt Tom's personal lovefest.

He just hoped he wouldn't lose control and deck whoever was lucky
enough to be  ensconced in Tom's embrace.

---

Holodeck One turned out to be Chakotay's destination. He'd guessed
correctly:  Seven was in there with Tom.

Bracing his shoulders against the weight of disappointment, Chakotay
opened the  door and stepped inside.

And stopped in shock. He blinked, trying to comprehend what he was
seeing.

Tom was there. So was Seven.

But they were totally oblivious to each other, wrapped up in the
people they had  their arms wrapped around.

Or rather, the holograms. The blonds were attempting to canoodle with
two  statues, for all the success they were having. The program must
have frozen when  the computer went down.

Still, Chakotay was cheered by the sight. "Insurrection Alpha" was
running,  specifically the cargo bay scene. But there were a few minor
adjustments.

Most of the crew were gone. The program's Doc was present, hands
raised in a  gesture of warding. Seven had slipped between the EMH's
open arms and was  practicing her kissing techniques on the unmoving
face.

Tom, meanwhile, was nibbling on a Maquis neck.

Chakotay's neck---the holographic Chakotay's, that is. The real one
felt his  skin tingle as Tom continued to work his way around his
immobile partner. When  he reached the other Chakotay's nape he
started murmuring sweet nothings as his  hands slid around the
hologram's waist to tug at unyielding fasteners.

Then the blue eyes flicked up. They stopped, widened, narrowed,
darkened, then  crinkled in delight. Tom beamed at him from behind the
doppleganger. "Chak!  You're back!" He immediately abandoned the
simulacrum to launch himself at a new  target.

Chakotay automatically closed his arms around his slender attacker,
but tilted  his head so the sloppy welcoming kiss landed on his chin.
"How are you feeling,  Tom?" he asked carefully.

"Fantastic!" Tom's arms flung out a moment in an all-expansive
gesture, then his  hands began sliding themselves over Chakotay like
he was taking inventory.

Chakotay swiftly trapped those wandering fingers, keeping them
securely pressed  against his own chest. He didn't get a chance to
speak, though, as Tom tried  another lip-lock. Chakotay turned his
head to the side, but Tom countered with a  strafing run along his
cheek to his ear.

He shuddered as Tom explored the whorls and hollows with his tongue,
then began  whispering. "I'm *soooo* glad you're here, Chak. Can I
call you Chak? Actually,  I think I'm going to call you Choc instead.
Short for Chocolate-Eyed Wonder  Stud. That's what I think when I look
at you, y'know. Something sweet and rich  and smooth and sinfully
delicious."

Tom started nipping the skin behind his chosen ear and Chakotay bit
his lip to  keep from moaning. He tried to shift away but Tom hung on,
sinking his teeth a  little deeper to keep Chakotay in place. The
blond's long legs snaked themselves  around Chakotay's so he couldn't
be pushed away.

After a long breathless moment that left Chakotay's skin throbbing
with teeth  marks, Tom resumed his monologue and oral explorations. "I
want to watch your  eyes warm into dark chocolate pools, then drown
myself in them like some  incredible fondue. I want to dip *you* in
chocolate fondue and lick you clean  again. Mix the hint of sweetness
with your salt."

Chakotay was struggling to remind himself of Voyager's situation, of
duty, of  the importance of not encouraging Tom by getting an
erection. It was a losing  battle though when Tom started undulating a
long, hard, hot cock against him  through their uniforms. Chakotay
moaned in defeat as his body responded.

Tom licked a line along the top of Chakotay's turtleneck and up to the
other  ear. From the sting of another sucking bite he seemed to have
decided Chakotay  needed a matching set of hickeys.

Chakotay groaned again as he realized he didn't have time for any of
this,  including regenerating the souvenirs from this strange Paris
trip. "Tom, we need  to get out of here," he said, wincing at his own
arousal-deepened voice.

"Yeah, that's it, growl for me, babe." Tom nipped at the new mark and
pressed  closer. "I want to hear you snarl as you sink into me so deep
and ride me so  hard your cum comes out of my ears. I want to make you
howl as I grind you into  the mattress and plunge between the sweet
cheeks of your ass." Tom drew back a  little, face flushed and eyes
glittering. "So where do you want to go, Choc?  I'll follow that
bodacious booty of yours anywhere."

"We need to get to the bridge, Tom." Chakotay winced again at the
lascivious  grin Tom sported at hearing the destination. He untangled
their legs and pushed  Tom away as the blond started licking his lips
and waggling his eyebrows while  running his eyes up and down
Chakotay's uniform.

Desperate for distraction Chakotay spoke to the other blonde in the
room. "Uh,  Seven?"

The ex-Borg turned and lifted her non-cybernetic eyebrow. "Do you have
a  suggestion to improve my osculation, Commander?"

"No, Seven," Chakotay shifted as Tom stepped behind Chakotay and
started pulsing  his hips, pushing his erection into Chakotay's
backside. Chakotay caught the  long unrepentant fingers again as they
began to tease his nipples through his  clothes. "I just wanted to
point out that you might prefer to test your  technique on the real
thing now that you've had some practice. The Doc's program  is in Sick
Bay trapped behind some encryption codes. I don't have time to work 
on them, but they should be a snap for someone as---um, motivated---as
you."  Chakotay definitely didn't want to say horny, considering that
he was in as bad  a state as the others.

A cat-suited blur and the whoosh of the closing door was the last they
knew of  Seven. Chakotay sent a quick prayer to the spirits that the
Doc would soon be  on-line and pumping an antidote through the
ventilation system.

Not that it would help *him* any.

Tom pouted when Chakotay escaped his grasp and clasped one hand to
drag the  younger man out of the holodeck. "Hey, we were finally
alone." His lower lip  stuck out. "I can't go walking the halls like
this." He gestured.

Chakotay glanced at his companion's tented trousers. His own uniform
wasn't much  better. "Don't worry, no one will see us. And the bridge
is empty."

"Mmmm...are we going to practice some tactile tactical maneuvers?" Tom
asked as  he closed the gap between them.

Chakotay just yanked him into the turbolift and started their trip to
the  bridge. He was surprised when Tom draped his arms around
Chakotay's neck and  started singing.

"You're the top---you're the Colosseum. You're the top---you're the
Louvre  Museum." Tom stopped and peered at Chakotay's face, eyes
dreamy. "You know that  Mona Lisa smile of yours drives me crazy. It
makes me want to shove something  between those luscious, lickable
lips." He gave a roguish smile. "My tongue, so  I can kiss you into
next week." The smile shifted to a leer. "Or my cock."

He pushed Chakotay into the wall and arranged himself more
comfortably, letting  Chakotay support them both. "Greg told me you
give great head, y'know. He said  that he had to keep his eyes closed,
though, because watching you brought him  off so damn fast."


Chakotay choked as his cheeks heated. "I, uh, didn't realize Greg told
you about  that."

Tom shrugged. "I guess he figured it was old news---before Seska and
all." The  blond head tipped, reflective.

Chakotay sobered along with the mobile face so close to his. He was
almost  relieved when the door opened to the bridge. He backed Tom
along the carpet  toward the helm.

Tom stopped them right before the conn. "I should never have slept
with him,  y'know."

Chakotay's ears perked up in spite of himself. "Oh?"

"Yeah." Tom's breath ghosted along his neck as the younger man tucked
his face  into Chakotay's shoulder. "I was too scared to make a play
for you, so I went  for the guy who looked the most like you. Greg
could be your third cousin twice  removed or something."

Chakotay's hands lifted of their own accord to stroke the slender back
and  sides. "That's okay, as long as neither one of you got hurt."

"Yeah, Greg figured it out before I did. There were no hard feelings."
Tom  leaned back with a sheepish grin. "Harry was a little quicker on
the uptake. I  stuck to women after that."

"Shit, Tom," Chakotay sighed, "I don't know whether to believe you or
not. But  I'm sorry about this. Nobody should be forced to bare their
soul, even if you're  making all this up because you think it's what I
want to hear."

Saddened, Chakotay spun the pilot's seat around and planted Tom in it.
Pulling  out the navigator's chair, he settled beside the younger man.
"Voyager's in  danger, Tom, so I need you to help me get the ship out
of the asteroid field  before we take damage."


"No, you need me to help get you out of that stuffy uniform so you can
take me  in the Captain's chair," Tom replied firmly as he reached out
again for  Chakotay's jacket.

"Tom, no, we have to---No!" Chakotay jumped up and moved out of range,
running a  hand through his hair. "You have to concentrate."

"I *am* concentrating. On you, Choc." Tom got up and sauntered over,
evading  Chakotay's grab. He ducked behind again and shoved Chakotay
to sprawl across the  helm.

Chakotay's breath was knocked out of him as Tom landed on top with a
grunt of  triumph. He breathed in Chakotay's ear, "Or maybe I'll go
first." He pinched,  then patted Chakotay's butt.

With a desperate wrench of his body Chakotay flung them both to the
floor. At  the end of his patience, he pinned the taller man beneath
him, stretching the  long arms over the tousled blond head. "We don't
have time for this." Chakotay  puffed out his breath, then met the
merry blue eyes. "What'll it take to keep  you in that pilot's seat
until Voyager is safe?"

Chakotay felt his cheeks flame again as he was thoroughly ogled from
this new  angle. But he was relieved that Tom seemed to be seriously
considering his  question.

"Okay, Choc. I can do the 'business before pleasure' thing. But I'll
expect to  be fully compensated." Tom wriggled provocatively. "I want
you all to myself. No  reports, no office hours, no bridge duty.
Nothing but you and me and lube. For a  week."

"A week?" Chakotay's eyebrows climbed. "I don't think---"

"Hey, I wanted to say 'forever' but the Captain would never let you
off shift  for that long. So take it or leave it. Or take me, right
now, 'cause I'm not  getting up otherwise." Tom relaxed and sighed
contentedly as if he were  relishing Chakotay's weight.

Chakotay shook his head. Then he released Tom and tugged him to a
sitting  position. He captured Tom's face in his palms. "I want you to
listen to me. I  agree to your terms, but understand this." He locked
eyes. "I am not just some  fuck buddy conjured up by your whiff of
alien sex sweat. I will not be another  notch on your damn bedpost. If
you want me then you get me---but not for just a  week. It'll be the
real deal, the long haul, gold rings and moving in and baby  names and
diamond anniversaries. Never leaving or letting go. So if you sober up 
and figure out this whole spiel of yours has been a load of bull to
get me into  bed, don't you even *think* about collecting."

Then he kissed Tom the way he had in every fantasy from his shuttle
trip. Soft  and tender, hard and passionate. A long, sweet, hot tour
of the mouth below his,  open to share trembling breaths, to let
tongues glide and tangle. Lips shifting,  sucking, sliding. After an
eternity he finally pulled away.

The blue eyes were dazed, the wide mouth puffy and bruised. Chakotay
swallowed  and by sheer force of will kept from diving back in for
another taste.

Then Tom said huskily, "Deal."

---

They worked surprisingly well together after Tom stopped acting like a
walking  hormone. Chakotay plotted a new course from Voyager's
position and guided Tom  through each delicate bank and turn. The
pilot focused entirely on the task at  hand, nudging the ship through
the intricate steps of their dance across the  asteroid field.

And if occasionally Tom leaned against Chakotay's shoulder to take a
moment's  rest, and Chakotay's hand stroked its way through the
red-gold hair and down the  pale neck, who was there to complain about
the breach of protocol?

At some point during the long hours of their crossing Seven managed to
return  the Doc to functionality. Even with a six-foot ex-Borg hanging
off him, the EMH  discovered an antidote to the alien influence and
dispensed it through the  vents.

Eventually people began stumbling back to the bridge, most of them
displaying a  combination of intense satisfaction and acute chagrin.

Chakotay knew the moment Tom snapped back to himself. His side felt
chilled as  Tom's warmth drew away completely. He sighed and kept his
own eyes glued to his  screens, unable to think of a way to dispel the
awkward silence growing between  them.

The Captain finally made an appearance, patting her hair into place
and sliding  into the command chair. "Report."

Chakotay shifted his attention to the open space showing in the
viewscreen.  "We've just cleared the asteroid field. The M-class
planet listed on the charts  is four hours away. The antidote has been
dispersed, the alien pheromones are  gone and the biofilters tightened
to prevent a reoccurrence of this type of  incident. The main computer
is functioning normally and according to the Doc, so  is the crew."
His eyes slid across Tom's still profile during his spin to face 
Kathryn. "No major damage and no lasting effects."

"Except, perhaps, to the shipboard fraternization policy." Kathryn's
smile was  wry. "And quite a few living arrangements." She sighed and
glanced at Tuvok, who  lifted one eyebrow slightly in acknowledgement
of his new mate's unspoken  message.

Chakotay felt his face heat as Tuvok's eyes next pointed out the mark
on  Chakotay's neck. *Kathryn's* brows rose as she leaned over to note
the matching  hickey under Chakotay's other ear.

She smiled but only said, "All's well that ends well, I suppose. And
since  you've been on duty for so long, how about you take the next
few days off."

"Seven days, Captain. A full week." Tom rose from his chair, tapping
on the  autopilot. "I'll need to be on vacation as well."

Chakotay stood, staring at Tom. Shock kept him silent.

"Really, Mr. Paris." Kathryn leaned back in her seat. "And why is
that?"

Chakotay could feel her eyes on his neck again. But he felt unable to
look away  from Tom's burning gaze.

"Because Chakotay made a promise to me Captain, and he always keeps
his word."  Tom smiled, his expression as soft and warm as his eyes.
"We'll be reviewing the  fraternization policy, and changing living
arrangements." He winked. "And maybe,  just maybe, picking out wedding
rings and baby names."

Chakotay tilted his head, his lips curving as he realized that sex
wasn't the  only thing that had been on Tom's brain this day.

Tom's gaze heated. "There's that Mona Lisa smile," he said quietly. He
started  humming.

Chakotay raised a hand to cradle Tom's nape. One brow lifted. "And
just what are  you going to do about it?" He moved closer, smile in
place, eyes issuing a  silent dare.

Kathryn chuckled. "It sounds like you'll be busy. A week it is." She
shrugged at  the lack of response. "Computer, beam Commander Chakotay
and Lieutenant Paris to  the Commander's quarters."

The men were locked in an embrace when they disappeared.

---

The End