An Unusual Stroll

Shifting positions, Chakotay gradually realized why Kathryn sought refuge in her ready room so often. Whoever designed Voyager's command chair must have been far more concerned with what it was going to look like rather than how comfortable it would be. Try as he might, Chakotay just couldn't find a position that was anything near comfortable.

'Only three more hours to go,' he thought with a glace at the chronometer, and repressed a groan. No need to scare the poor Ensigns who had volunteered to man the bridge on Delta Shift. On the other hand, Chakotay's presence alone scared some of them half to death, especially the young woman at the helm. Ensign Sondra Wilson had been fidgeting around ever since he had arrived. 'Hmm, maybe her seat is uncomfortable as well,' he shrugged off the thought to concentrate on the task at hand.

The problem was, he had nothing to do.

Chakotay shifted positions again. Damn, he was dead sure he radiated boredom by now, but a glace at the other crew members told him that they were busy doing their jobs. Was he really so spoilt that an uneventful duty shift bored him to death? The answer was easy: yes. Pathetic but true. He'd give anything for a little distraction right now. Anything to focus his mind on, so he wouldn't go completely nuts within the next three hours.

As the minutes crawled by, Chakotay began to doubt his sanity more and more. Just what had he been thinking, that he had agreed to take the Delta Shift? Oh wait. As far as he recalled he hadn't been thinking at all the moment Kathryn had opened her mouth to ask him to do her a favor. So that's how he had gotten himself into this situation. Nothing unusual.

"Seven to Commander Chakotay."

A distraction! He nearly said that aloud, but pulled himself together at the last possible moment, and tapped his comm badge instead. "I'm all ears, Seven. Go ahead." Chakotay then winced. He really shouldn't have sounded so enthusiastic.

"Please report to Astrometrics, Commander. There is a . . . strange . . . situation that needs to be attended to."

"On my way," he acknowledged and practically leapt off the chair. By now, all eyes had fixed on him, but he didn't care anymore. Being First Officer did have its advantages, and at times likes this, Chakotay was ever so grateful for the privileges his rank was accompanied by.

*

Chakotay entered Astrometrics two minutes later, which caused Seven's brow to boldly go where no brow had gone before, but she didn't comment on his quick appearance. Instead, she was all business as he came to stand next to her. Pushing a few buttons, the screen switched on to give them a good view of Voyager's saucer section . . . and the Captain.

"Excuse me, Seven. I think I need to go see the Doctor because of my deteriorating vision," he said, blinking once. Twice. "I seem to see Captain Janeway taking a stroll on Voyager's hull."

"I can assure you, Commander, your vision is not deteriorating yet."

"In that case . . . what the hell is she doing out there?" Chakotay asked incredulously, watching as Kathryn put one foot in front of the other, slowly crossing over to the other side of Voyager's hull.

"I cannot offer an explanation," Seven replied, frowning, as Kathryn suddenly broke into a run. The funny thing was, though, that due to the environmental suit with its magnetic shoes, she looked like she was moving in slow motion.

"Looks like she is on a caffeine high or something," he chuckled, but soon grew serious again. "I'll go get the Captain."

*

Kathryn almost felt like a child again stargazing in the back-yard of her parents' house. Except that this was even better, the stars seemed much nearer now. Standing on tiptoes, she reached out for them like she had done in her childhood.

"Try a little harder and you might succeed."

Caught in the act.

Damn.

"Aren't you supposed to be on the bridge, Chakotay?" Turning slowly around, she received confirmation of what she had already known. Chakotay had followed her, and was now, clad in an environmetal suit, looking at her with his arms folded over his chest.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping in your quarters?" he countered.

"Excuse me? I wasn't aware you had any say in that."

Chakotay was in no hurry to reply. Instead, he crossed the distance between them as quickly as possible, watching Kathryn's reaction carefully. She was mocking his earlier posture by now, her arms crossed in front of her, and was totally unprepared for his next move. He disabled the magnetic field which had her fixed on Voyager's metallic hull, and grabbed her environmental suit, pulling her along. "Consider this conversation closed. We're going back inside now."

"Just who do you think you are?" she asked, but there wasn't the slightest bit anger in her voice. Instead, she sounded amused, as if she enjoyed being man-handled, as he knew she did every now and then.

"I, my lovely Captain, am your husband."

THE END

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