The debriefing room was filled with the male senior staff. Tom held his head in his hands, Harry shifted uneasily from one side of his glutamus maximus to the other, Tuvok was . . . well . . . Tuvok and Neelix had a great big grin on his face as Chakotay paced around the table.
"I don't see what all the fuss is about," Neelix commented, shrugging. "So they're a little more . . . well, sure of themselves. Nothing wrong with some honesty!"
"Easy for you to say," Harry shot him a death gaze. "You've always wanted Kes, and now you got her. The rest of us either have a more complicated situation or . . ."
Tom interrupted, "Or a Klingon wanting to Kill them."
"I always thought you were the 'rough and ready' type though, Mr. Paris?" Neelix joked.
"Enough. That's not the point . . . the point is," Chakotay was disheartened, "is that they are a part of this crew . . .we can't function or get this ship going without them. And beyond that they're our friends, family . . . and loved ones," he finished. "We don't even have a Captain . . . and she's one of the best damn Captains Starfleet ever made. We're not about to lose her to this . . this . . . madness."
"What do you suggest, Commander," Tuvok questioned, pleased someone else was thinking logically about the current situation.
"We head back to the anomaly," he stated and everyone winced. Nevertheless, he continued, "The doctor feels that if he could get some residual samples, he could find a reasonable cure."
"The doctor doesn't have one from the last time we visited?" Paris seemed disappointed.
"Not unless we all want to get involved in some . . . . sexual healing" Chakotay leaned on the table with that statement.
"Uh," Neelix's voice broke the silence, "do I get a say in this?"
"NO," all of the members answered in unison.
"But what if we go back into that thing and we," Kim indicated the male crew, "all become affected by this as well."
"That's just a chance we'll have to take," Chakotay stated.
"'Just a chance we'll have to take?'" Harry muttered to Paris as they walked down the unusually quiet corridors of Voyager towards their quarters. "Maybe Chakotay doesn't mind being a guinea pig, but I'd rather not father the next generation of Voyager's Starfleet crew. You don't think that's what he has in mind, do you?" His brow raised with worry.
"Harry, Harry, Harry, I think the only thing the Commander has on his mind is Captain Janeway," Tom said as they entered Harry's quarters.
"Mind if I . ." Tom pointed at the replicator.
"Help yourself, I owe you three rations from that bet anyhow. Ever since we've doubled shifts to make up for lacking crew I haven't had time to practice this Concerto," he grabbed his Clarinet. "It's in the key of F sharp, I hate F sharp," taking a breath he started to play and then stopped abruptly.
Paris put down the slice of pizza he had been chewing on and looked at Harry questioningly, as the young Ensign explained, "All this love-stuff has, well, got me thinking about Libby."
"Ah," Paris wiped his hands on a napkin and swallowed. "Your girl at home . . . again."
"Don't say 'again.' She's not someone I can just forget overnight . . . like some."
"Hey, that's the old Paris. This one, well . . . let's just say he could *never* forget B'Elanna Torres. Don't worry Harry, if anyone can get us home, it's Janeway. You'll see Libby soon. Can't say I'm not curious to meet the girl who stole my best friend's heart."
CONTINUED IN PART 9!
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