------------------------------------
Tea Time
by Lianne Burwell
December 1997
------------------------------------

Another day in the Delta Quadrant.

Another *boring* day.

I never would have thought that I'd want an alien attack, but *anything* 
to break the monotony.

Everyone is trying to come up with projects to keep busy. B'Elanna has 
fine-tuned the engines several times over. Stellar Cartography has 
analyzed everything within scanner range. Even Neelix has been 
experimenting.



Although, this new tea substitute is not bad. 





Ensign Kim is working busily at his station. Coming up with new scan 
techniques, no doubt. Tuvok is as serene and focused as always. Almost 
annoyingly so. The Captain is in her chair, reading reports. And Paris is 
bent over his console, plotting a variety of courses.

Paris.

Interesting, that hair color. A rich gold that catches the light. Getting 
a little thin on top, though. The curls are nice. They look soft. I wonder 
how soft they are. Perhaps...

Well, that was easy. Just lean over the back of his chair to ask a 
question about his course plotting and, ever so casually, brush my 
fingers along the back of his head. He looked startled for a moment, then 
he probably decided that it was his imagination.

It is soft.

I wonder what it would be like to run my fingers through those curls. I 
bet they would feel wonderful, like silk. Like dipping your fingers in a 
stream of running water.

Hmm... yes, that is nice.

"Commander?"

Strange. Paris looks surprised. I wonder what *his* problem is.

I'm curious, though. Is he blond all over? Would his chest hairs be the 
same gold color? I'll bet he has a wonderfully furry chest. And what 
about the pubic hair? Is it golden too?

"Co... commander! *What* are you *doing*?"

*What* is his problem? I just want to take a look. Real easy too. Just 
unzip the uniform and tug the turtleneck up a little.

"Commander, would you care to explain yourself?"

Now the Captain? And Ensign Kim is snickering in the background. If he 
doesn't stop soon he's going to find himself working double shifts for a 
while.

Whoops. Paris is trying to get away. Really. Where does he think he's 
going? If he'd just hold still for a second..

Oh great, now Tuvok is trying to interfere.  What *is* everyone's problem? 
I'm just curious! But Tuvok has grabbed me by the shoulder and...

* * * * *

Oh, Great Spirits! This has got to be the most humiliating day of my life! 
I can't believe I was actually chasing Paris around the bridge trying to 
strip him. Tuvok actually had to resort to a Vulcan neck pinch to stop me.

The doctor says it was Neelix's new tea. Apparently everyone who tried it 
started to act on sudden impulses, unable to recognize their actions as 
being a problem. I swear, Neelix had better submit all future experiments 
to the doctor for testing. Maybe we can avoid having this happen again.



Back to my quarters. Better get a good night's sleep. I don't know how 
I'm going to face the bridge crew tomorrow. Especially Paris. The first 
officer chasing the helm officer around is not something that is going to 
be forgotten anytime soon.

What the....

Someone just grabbed me? A hand running over my head. Another pulling at 
my uniform. Warm breath blowing past my ear.

"Turnabout is fair play, Commander."

THE END?