By janezy. Send Feedback to janezy@yahoo.com
Rated: PG-13
Completed: January 1, 2003
VOY -- J/C
Sally M has challenged, and I have responded with this story. The challenge: to write a brief, romantic J/C scene with the title coming from the alphabet. Don't ask me why I picked X. I guess I figured I would have a lot less choices that way. More curious is why I wrote a PG-13 story called X-Rated.
Commander Chakotay was a man with a plan. A good plan, he thought. One of his better ones. And he had Tom Paris to thank for it -- indirectly of course. He would never take Paris' advice in an obvious manner.
Tom Paris was a man with a multitude of plans. Schemes. Credit-making ventures. And Chakotay had caught him red-handed with his latest. Paris was actually operating a pornographic ring on Voyager. It was mostly small potatoes, but a definite no-no as far as the Starfleet regs were concerned. Tom's love of 20th century television had brought him into contact with a vast library of pornographic films, which he downloaded to his personal drive and was now renting out to the crew.
Chakotay didn't completely understand it himself. What was the attraction in watching two-dimensional copulation on a small screen? If one wanted to lose himself in fantasy, why not go to the holodeck and get a real workout? Maybe it was just because individual holodeck time was rationed. Or maybe there was more to this than he thought. The lower decks crew had certainly gone crazy for it.
Regardless, it was completely forbidden to profit from items in the public database. Tom had been written up and was spending the first night of his three-week probationary term in the brig. And Chakotay had, of course, confiscated all of Tom's illegal movies.
Now, evidence in hand, he was making his way to his captain's quarters for what she presumed was their regular Tuesday night dinner. As much as he enjoyed their easy friendship, he still yearned for something more. He wouldn't presume to press the issue, but perhaps the fact that Kathryn generally saw him as a castrati would finally work to his advantage. He could slip a viewing of one the movies in under her nose and awaken feelings in her she had forgotten she had.
~*~
Captain Kathryn Janeway was a woman with a plan. A good plan, she thought. One of her better ones. And she had Tom Paris to thank for it, even though the poor guy didn't even know it.
She was preparing for yet another Tuesday night dinner with her first officer. As much as she enjoyed their easy friendship, she still yearned for something more. Unfortunately, the Starfleet regs were quite clear on the issue. While relationships between officers serving together were not strictly prohibited, it was forbidden that the higher ranking officer be the one to bring the issue up. If she were to ask Chakotay to deepen their relationship, it could be perceived as sexual harassment.
So, she'd been waiting patiently for Chakotay to take the hint. She'd flirted. She'd teased. She'd given him the Grand Canyon of openings -- she had no net, for goodness sake. And still, nothing. He seemed to be under the impression that she would say no if he asked and wanted to spare her the burden of turning him down. It was a sweet gesture. She was really quite moved. But if he didn't get over it soon, she'd be forced to whack him over the head with a phase compensator.
She'd heard the ship scuttlebutt earlier that afternoon that Tom was getting busted, again. She'd never tell him so, but she found his antics rather amusing. They were one of the things holding the ship together, making people feel more like a family than co-workers and lightening the hardship of their long journey. It was very wrong of him to profit from said antics, but she had a feeling he wouldn't have held on to his newfound wealth for long. As much money as he skimmed from the crew, he always seemed to give it right back. She'd checked the records. Despite the fact that each crewmember was allotted only half an hour of holodeck time per week, Tom managed to log an average of ten hours a week, most of it as the sponsor for public activities, like Sandrine's.
The door chime rang and she turned toward the replicator as she called for entrance. She liked Chakotay's first glance at her to be of her backside. She tried not to be vain, but she'd always thought she looked good from that angle. Besides, it gave him a few moments to openly ogle her before she turned around. She enjoyed spinning quickly and taking him by surprise, so she could catch a small bit of the desire in his eyes before he hid it away. Today was no exception, although she thought his gaze lasted a little longer than usual.
"You're late," she said.
He smiled slyly. "I'm sorry. I just had to settle our friend Mr. Paris in the brig for the night."
"Really. Did you tuck him in nice and tight?"
"Snug as a bug in a rug."
She laughed at that. He had some of the oddest sayings. "What's that?" she asked, gesturing to the data chips in his hand.
"Oh, nothing," he said, reddening slightly. "Just a little something for later."
"Chakotay," she admonished. "You know how I hate surprises."
"And you know how I love surprising you," he said, enjoying their game. The mere thought of presents usually brought out the best in Kathryn. She would use all her feminine wiles to try to wrench the truth from him. If he played his cards right, this could be a very fun night indeed.
"Hmm," she said, playing at irritation. Truth be told, Kathryn loved surprises from Chakotay every bit as much as she professed to hate them. It gave her a chance to put on her "sexy face," as she liked to think of it, and behave in an almost brazen manner. She set her flirt drive to warp 4 with a toss of her head.
Chakotay's eyes narrowed and his heart sped at the sight of her red tresses in flight, but he quickly beat down his more enthusiastic half. He knew he had to keep his cool or he'd forget himself entirely and go too far, too fast.
"What's for dinner?" he asked.
"Vegetable stew," she replied, trying to hide her disappointment as she turned back to the replicator. They used to be able to sustain flirting for hours. Now he seemed to be more concerned with the needs of his stomach. She'd just have to be a bit more bold. She unbuttoned the top button of her blouse, then thought 'What the hell' and undid the second one as well.
When she turned back around, stew in hand, Chakotay had to cover up his excitement by jumping into his chair and eagerly digging into his food. He was eager, all right, but it wasn't for stew.
They discussed ship's business as they ate. When it was time to clear to table, Kathryn bent down more than was actually necessary, giving Chakotay a good view of her chest, all the way down to her navel.
Chakotay cleared his throat and forced his eyes from the sight. He was more certain than ever of the rightness of his plan. Just look at the way she paraded around him, as if he were no more than the family dog. She never concerned herself with propriety because she thought she had nothing to fear from him. It was about time he proved her wrong.
He picked up the data chips from where he'd left them on the table earlier and rattled them in his hands like dice. Truth be told, this was a bit like a game of craps. He just hoped Lady Luck was on his side.
"So," he began awkwardly. "Dinner's over. Don't you want to know what I brought you?"
"Oh, that." Kathryn said, feigning ignorance. "I forgot all about it."
"Well, I haven't. I think you'd be interested to see it."
"What is it?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
Chakotay took a breath. This was it. No going back now. "The movies I confiscated from Tom. I think we should watch them, in the interest of ship's security."
She knew the films he was talking about. Everyone on the ship did. "Why, Commander. Don't you think that's inappropriate?"
Chakotay hid his disappointment. "I apologize, Captain. I just thought -- "
Great God in heaven, did the man have no sense of when she was joking? He was almost more exasperation than he was worth. Almost.
" -- Of course," she interrupted before he had a chance to run away like the fool he was being. "I should have some understanding of what's been getting my best pilot in trouble. Have a seat," she said, gesturing to the couch.
That was a close call, thought Chakotay. He had to mend this bridge quickly. "You have nothing to worry about, Captain. I'll be a perfect gentleman. In fact, don't think of me as a gentleman. Think of me as your best girlfriend."
She grabbed a data chip and turned away before he could see her roll her eyes. Girlfriend, indeed. He just kept digging himself in deeper. She went to her desk and picked up her computer screen, starting the movie and setting the screen down on the coffee table before he had a chance to open his mouth and do any more damage. She settled herself on the couch next to him and crossed her arms.
After a few poorly acted scenes regarding some sort of shady business deal, two of the actors started getting down to an entirely different kind of business, right on the office desk. Chakotay's eyes got wide at the sight on the screen before him. "I don't think that's even possible," he said in amazement, more to himself than to Kathryn.
"Sure," she said as if such a position were old-hat. "You know, when I was still doing Yoga every day, Mark and I used to -- "
"Kathryn!" exclaimed Chakotay. He really had no desire to hear her discuss her previous conquests. For whatever reason, he had fooled himself into thinking her relatively chaste, ripe for the picking. His picking, of course.
Kathryn smiled deviously. "What? We're *girlfriends* aren't we? Wouldn't I share such information with a close *girlfriend*?"
That was it. Now she was using his own words against him. "Kathryn Janeway, I don't know what it is I see in you. You're a spoiled, egotistical, selfish woman. Sometimes I'm not sure you're even human."
Before she had a chance to protest against such spiteful words, Chakotay grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her, hard. He lost himself in the kiss for a moment, then suddenly realized what he was doing and sprang away. He couldn't force himself on her. She had to want to be taken. She had to come to him.
"I'm sorry," he said, searching the ground for his dignity. "I'll just go."
Kathryn scorched him with her glare, as fiery as her hair. "Don't you dare," she said with a quiet anger. To hell with the regs. She had a feeling that was as close as Chakotay was going to come to seducing her. It seemed she would have to do all the work here. "Don't you dare leave after that. Come here and finish what you started." She snatched his shirt and pulled him back to her, kissing him with every bit as much passion as he had shown her.
Chakotay was confused, and he wanted to assure that she knew what she was doing. He wasn't sure he could take it if she fumbled into a relationship now, only to think better of it in the light of day. "But the regs -- " he began.
" -- Say I can't make the first move. I didn't. Let's keep that straight."
"Wait a minute. What are you saying? That you were waiting for me?"
"Let's put it this way. See that?" she asked, gesturing to the screen with a nod of her head. "Child's play. All you had to do was say the word and I could have shown you a thing or two about some of the more inventive uses for office furniture. It's not just for meetings anymore."
"So I could have had you years ago?" Chakotay's head was spinning with this new information. He stumbled away from her, leaning on the wall.
"Yes," she replied simply, walking over to him with the eyes of a panther stalking the elk it had thinned from the herd. "And if you don't wise up, you're going to miss out on the here and now as well." She stroked her hand over his chest. "We have a lot of time to make up for. Show me what I've been missing."
She was right. He couldn't sacrifice the present for the past that may have been. It was time to seize the moment. Seize the life he'd been waiting for. Seize that wonderful rump she'd been teasing him with. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, ready to seize a whole lot more.
~*~
Lieutenant Tom Paris was a man with a plan. A good plan, he thought. One of his better ones. If he'd done his calculations correctly, his commanding officers should be doing a different kind of commanding right about now: A little to the left. Right there. Don't stop.
He may be in the brig, but it was worth it. He was going to cash in big time on the outstanding bets he had on the couple. And just in time, too. It was almost Federation Day, and he'd been preparing the party for months. He knew just what to do with all the credits that were going to be coming his way. All thanks to the captain and Chakotay. Of course, he would never tell them that.
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