By Karahkwa Ross

Codes: ST: Voy, K/7

Summary: Chakotay contemplates his relationships with his crewmates after seeing Harry and Seven get together.

Disclaimer: See Main Fan Fic Page

That boy is crazy, Chakotay thought with a small smile. He’d been watching for the last hour as Tom Paris and Harry Kim tried to teach Seven of Nine, Voyager’s resident ex-Borg, how to play pool. She was much better than either one of them yet they insisted that she needed to bone up on the social aspects of the game. Right now, Harry was behind Seven showing her how to use her shooting position as a way to scan the crowd and be able to comment on the couples in Sandine’s. That had to be the oldest trick in the book and here Harry was trying it on a Borg.

“What’s so funny, Commander?”

Chakotay looked back at his companions for the evening. Tuvok, B’Elanna Torres, and Captain Kathryn Janeway all looked at him expectantly. He smiled even more. “Harry pulling that old trick on Seven.” He nodded his head in their general direction. “I don’t know; it just amused me.”

“Why’s that, Chakotay?” B’Elanna asked as she watched Harry snuggled up even closer. He was being pretty obvious about it.

“Well, Harry, probably at Tom’s prodding, thinks it’s such a smooth move and all that. But, you see, Seven knows what he’s trying to pull.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, B’Elanna, it is. And before you ask why, I think that, I’ll tell you. Seven asked me the significance of the maneuver when she saw Tom do it to Megan Delany. Harry’s only getting away with it because Seven is letting him”

“Apparently,” Tuvok said when Seven turned around and kissed Harry, “it worked, whatever the schematics.”

“Looks like it.” Chakotay watched as the pair left and Tom went in search of another pool partner.

They’ll never last, he though while the memory of some of his earliest relationships flashed in his mind. Fascination and lust were great for a little while but for the long-term there had to be more; love and trust and fidelity. And Seven wasn’t ready for those things just yet. She was still a child in many ways.

“Hey, Commander, fell up to a game of pool?”

“Sure, Paris. But take it easy on me: I’ve been working on the EPS conduits for the last three days.”

“Oh, yes, sir.” The predatory look in Tom’s eyes belied his easy, casual words. Everything between them two of them was a contest; even the smallest thing was a major production.

Chakotay liked Tom. He had a quick wit and his joking mannerisms reminded him of his youngest brother Motsqueh. Of course, no one would think that. For some reason people thought Chakotay couldn’t forgive Tom. It was ridiculous considering he’d seen just how awful prisons could be. Chakotay’s behavior towards Tom, Harry, and even Tuvok was the same as how he’d treat his brothers.

As Tom set out to clean the table, Chakotay scanned the room. He saw many of his Maquis crew mingling with the ‘Fleeters. It was good to see the crews were acting like one. B’Elanna’s mating to Tuvok and Dalby’s marriage to that cute ensign from Security, what was her name… Sara Chaplain… had really helped to cement the two crews.

Everyone was happy, for the most part. A few were still lonely for home and their families. But slowly, the crew was becoming a family, with Kathryn as their head. She was a great matriarch, their captain. She would make a great mother and grandmother someday. Thank goodness, it wouldn’t be for his children, however.

He liked Kathryn, maybe even had deeper feelings for her. But he’d learned over the years that he just wasn’t good at relationships. Either the woman he was with got tired of his shit and dumped him or he did something stupid like chose something else over his girlfriend. Every time he had a serious relationship, he’d had to chose that woman or his dreams or his home or his beliefs. He never chose the woman. Maybe he wanted to be alone.

That was a depressing thought, Chakotay admitted to himself as he finally got a turn. Tom had sunk all of his balls but one. The commander had his work cut out for him. Just like he did if he didn’t want to be alone any more. The Captain, B’Elanna, and even Seven were taken. He wasn’t attracted to too many more women on Voyager. He’d probably never have the family he’d dreamed of as a child.

“Hey, Commander, you weren’t supposed to win!” Tom yelled as the eight ball rolled into the pocket Chakotay had called.

“Yeah, well, I did.”

“I want a rematch!” Tom had to yell again over the cheer from the on-lookers.

Or maybe I all ready do.