© September 10, 2000
Disclaimer: Voyager belongs to Paramount Pictures. No infringement intended.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
"No, Commander . . . I can't authorize that," Kathryn Janeway shook her head. "I've already told Neelix that he would have to keep the Christmas decorations confined to the messhall."
"'Confined,' Captain?" Chakotay didn't know whether to let his mouth open in agape or whether to chuckle with the thought of it all. Wasn't it just like Kathryn Janeway to want to put Christmas in a makeshift brig.
"Commander," Kathryn smiled a little and patted at her hair making sure that every strand was still crisply pulled into her stylish bun, "not only is it against protocol, but can you imagine going to red alert and having your Ensigns and Lieutenants tripping over Christmas garlands and running into Fir Trees trying to get to their battle stations?"
"Personally I like Pines . . .," he smiled and then continued, "So it happened on Picard's ship . . . that was Wesley Crusher's fault. And we don't have him onboard," he noted she didn't find his joke humorous. "Tell me this doesn't keep you up at night," Chakotay did chuckle then.
Kathryn grew a little more uncomfortable when she felt her cheeks turn a rosy red with the blood that was rushing to them in a slight mode of embarrassment. "I know, I sound a little . . . stringent," she continued even against her Commander's raised eyebrow, "but I feel that it is in our best interest if we keep things nice, neat and regulated on Voyager for the time being."
"This doesn't have anything to do with recent events, does it?" Chakotay hated to bring it up but there was no way around it. Frankly the fact that Seska's betrayal still bothered Captain Janeway bothered Chakotay even more.
"Of course it does," Kathryn admitted bluntly, the name of their betrayer going unspoken. "I'm just trying to get in the habit of expecting the unforseen in the Delta Quadrant." '*And I'm tired of always being one step behind a catastrophe!*' her mind roared to herself. Kathryn sighed, and moved her two fingers to pinch the bridge of her nose. Another headache was coming on. "Just see that he keeps things in the messhall and out of the rest of my ship," Kathryn stated. "Dismissed."
"But, that doesn't seem right!" Neelix was a little confused. "The crew needs to be surrounded by holiday spirit, they need to have a piece of home around them . . as morale officer I must object to these stringent decisions! It's like that . . . that Grinch who stole Christmas!"
Chakotay sighed and shifted his weight slightly, laying a gentle hand on the Talaxian-cook-gone-morale-officer's shoulder, "I know Neelix. But the Captain is under a lot of stress right now. Christmas will still be celebrated on Voyager . . ." he offered up his own pathetic excuse, "it just has to be done in its proper place."
"That being here?" Neelix still wasn't buying it. "I've *read* about this holiday in the ship's library . . . and I have a perfect understanding for how important this is!" He paused, "Maybe you could get her to change her mind?"
Chakotay didn't like the sound of that. Lately he had been walking a thin line with the Captain. He was trying to stay one step ahead of her, trying to adhere to every single protocol that demanded its presence in a situation and, more importantly, he was trying to be a *loyal* Commander. To wreck havoc on her decision would be a mutiny and 'mutiny' just wasn't a word he wanted, even in a simplistic form, associated with his former Maquis self.
"I'll see what I can do," Chakotay stated softly and couldn't believe the words had left his tongue. Go up against Janeway? Better yet, go up against Janeway and her protocol? Nu-uh.
Even if she had been a little more than agreeable in the dreams Chakotay had had two nights ago.
"Harry," Tom whispered over his sleeping friend's form. Ensign Kim had, once again, covered his eyes with the sleeping mask and inserted, no doubt, two earplugs in each of his ears. The young Ensign just couldn't help it. The habit had been formed during his most impressionable Academy years, his efforts to not be awakened by his dormitory roommate fulfilled only by extreme measures, had never released him from their grasp.
"HARRY!" Tom shouted over the sleeping man loud enough to produce a thud on the wall from the person next door.
"What the hell!" Harry Kim bolted upright in bed. "What are you trying to do?! Make me die in my sleep?!"
"Naw, I'd miss you too much," Tom smirked. "Besides, I'm lacking in the 'best friends' department."
Harry was about to smirk back when a form, behind Tom, caught his attention. "OH my g--" he started, yanking up the covers to his chin. "Tom," Harry hissed, "what is B'Elanna doing in here? There's a *reason* why our quarters are single occupancy and this hallway is mainly all guys!"
"Stow it, Harry," B'Elanna folded her arms and grinned, "you don't have anything I've not seen before . . . or want to see at any rate."
Harry glowered back at the woman.
"Come on," Tom yanked the sheets from him, "get up and get dressed. We're going out."
"Out?" Harry asked mystified.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Ho! Ho! Ho!