AUTHOR: Sally
SUMMARY: Tensions rise… an entry to Astrogirl’s Janeway’s Got a Gun contest
DISCLAIMER: Star Trek Voyager and its characters belong to Paramount
RATING: PG
“I’m warning you, mister,” she threatened. “One more step…”
“And what, Kathryn? You’ll blow my brains out?” he queried sarcastically. “I rather think not.”
“I’m still the captain of this ship,” she growled, leveling the phaser at his head. The tattoo would make for a decent target, she thought.
“You won’t be for much longer if I tell the doctor I don’t think you’re fit for duty.”
She smirked. “And how would you propose to tell him, Chakotay? You’re not leaving this room and the communications system is still down.”
He sighed. “I will walk out this door if I choose.”
“And I will shoot if I choose,” she fired back.
He tried a different approach. “Its not honourable to shoot a man in the back, Kathryn.”
“Who cares about honour?”
“Apparently, not you,” he commented drily.
The standoff continued. Kathryn idly wondered how long she could hold her arm steady. Chakotay, meanwhile, was wondering if he could use a different method of persuasion by taking two steps forwards and capturing her in his arms. He hurriedly cleared his head of that one. Kathryn was, after all, holding a deadly weapon.
The silence was broken by a two-tone beep.
“Bridge to the captain. Communications are back online.”
Even before Harry had finished speaking Chakotay had hit his own commbadge and called for a site to site transport.
Kathryn fired the phaser.
Thirty minutes later B’Elanna received a call to send a discrete engineer to the captain’s quarters. She chose to send Vorik and demanded a full report from him when he returned.
The young Vulcan’s report was serious enough that the chief engineer decided to report it to the senior officer on duty.
“Its bad enough that there was phaser fire in her quarters, but from what we can tell, she fired just before transportation took place. Consequently, the phaser was active during transportation. Its down right dangerous, Sir.”
“Okay, Lieutenant.” Chakotay had realised that this was an official report his friend was making, from an officer to a superior. “I understand your concerns and I will act upon them.” He paused for a moment, thinking. “Incidentally, Lieutenant. Were you able to work out what setting the phaser was on?”
“Oh yes.” B’Elanna looked a little relieved at that point. “It was set on stun, thank goodness. If it had been set to kill and the transporter had malfunctioned…” She shuddered.
“Did Vorik see the Captain in her quarters?”
“Yes, apparently she was asleep before he left.”
“Good. She needs the rest.”
“Oh, I know. She’s been a constant in engineering ever since we got out of the hot zone. I suggested that she take a break but, well, sometimes, she just doesn’t listen to me, Commander.”
He grinned. “Sometimes the captain won’t listen to her first officer either. Who do you think called for the transport from her ready room?”
B’Elanna gasped. “You? Then it was you she was shooting at?”
He nodded. “Which is why I’m highly relieved she only had it set to stun.” He stood up and came around the side of his desk. “Okay, B’Elanna, thanks for letting me know. I think I’m going to follow up with both the doctor and Tuvok. And I think I’m going to speak with both of them in person.”
Two days later, both medical and security had new recommendations for the captain to review.
“In light of recent events,” the doctor began. “It is my belief that no one should be going without rest during a period of repair, no matter how serious the damage to Voyager is. Studies have shown that sleep depravation can damage a person’s faculties, meaning that they do not function as they would on a full night’s sleep. Symptoms can include a lack of concentration…”
“You wouldn’t believe how many cuts and abrasions I’ve had to treat because of that,” Tom cut in.
“And that’s just one example. Erratic behaviour can occur as well, crewmembers behaving in ways they normally wouldn’t. In short, one person’s sleep depravation can be detrimental to the entire crew.”
“It sounds like a very good idea,” supplied Neelix.
“While I agree with you, Doctor,” the captain began. “I have concerns that when repairs are serious we would be short-handed.
“No problem,” Chakotay cut in hastily. “I can work out schedules to compensate for that.”
“I believe, as well, that the senior staff should lead the way,” the EMH continued. “Set the example for the rest of the crew.”
“Very well, Doctor,” the captain conceded, shooting her first officer a sharp glare. “I’ll consider it.”
Tuvok’s recommendation also stemmed from ‘recent circumstances.’ By the time he had finished presenting his case that no one bar the security team should have access to Voyager’s weapons supply except during times of hostilities or away missions the captain was openly fixing her glare on her first officer who was studiously ignoring her. Again she stated that she would consider the proposal.
The meeting was summarily dismissed with everyone allowed to leave with the exception of Commander Chakotay.
“You told,” she hissed as soon as the door closed on them.
“My life was in danger,” he stated. “I did what I felt right under the circumstances.”
“So everyone now knows that their captain attempted to shoot the first officer?”
Chakotay was glad that there was still a table between them. “Not everyone, Kathryn. Neelix and Harry are completely in the dark by the looks of it, and I think not even Tom has a clue either.”
“Tom doesn’t?” She seemed amazed.
“B’Elanna reported your hole in the wall to me in an official capacity. Official reports are not something she discusses with her husband.” He thought he was reassuring her.
He thought wrong.
“B’Elanna knows?” She looked stunned.
“Of course. You didn’t think she’d send Vorik to your quarters without demanding a report from him later, did you?”
She looked defeated. “Oh great,” she muttered, slumping into one of the vacant chairs, raising cautious eyes at him. “You told the doctor and Tuvok though.”
“Yes, I did,” Chakotay admitted. He walked across to her and laid a hand gently on her shoulder, massaging it gently. “I was concerned. Is that alright?”
Kathryn allowed herself a few moments to relax against him. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I really don’t know what possessed me.”
“Its okay, Kathryn,” he told her gently. “You were just being your usual stubborn self.”
“That’s hardly an excuse.”
“Well, it was mixed in with a hefty dose of exhaustion,” he reminded her.
“I suppose the doctor’s recommendation is a good one,” she conceded. “I’ll have a look over it.”
“What about Tuvok’s?” he asked, leaning his head close to hers.
“I’ll think about it,” she laughed. “Oh, Chakotay,” she sighed. “You’re making me want to fall asleep.”
He stopped his ministrations. “Can’t be having that now,” he remonstrated. “Not while you’re on duty anyway.”
“How about later, then?” she asked, standing up.
“If you’re good, Captain.” He turned to go but before he left the briefing room he swung his head back at her and winked.
“Commander!” she yelled, pretending to be mad at him. But all she got back from him was a burst of laughter as he entered the bridge.
“Kathryn! Wait up a moment, will you?”
It was two days after the doctor and Tuvok had presented their reports to the senior staff, and Kathryn was on her way to the holodeck. Hearing the voice of her first officer she stopped and waited for him to catch up.
“Hello, Chakotay,” she greeted him cheerfully. “What can I do for you?”
“I was wondering if you were headed to Sandrine’s?”
She smiled as they began to walk side by side to the turbolift. “I am actually. I’m thinking of beating Tom again. Want to join me?”
He seemed hesitant. “Well… the thing is, B’Elanna came to warn me…”
Kathryn let loose a deep laugh. “Tom, wheedled it out of her, didn’t he?”
Chakotay nodded. “I think he got some of his information from the doctor as well and managed to put two and two together.”
“And his math came up correct, right?”
He smiled. “I’m afraid so.”
Kathryn patted his arm gently. “I know how do deal with young Mister Paris, Chakotay. No need to worry.”
“I’m not,” he replied. “I just wanted you to know in advance so you could prepare.”
“Prepare?” Kathryn repeated. “Oh, trust me, Chakotay. Where Tom’s concerned I have no need to prepare.”
Sandrine’s was silent as the pool tournament came to its finale. One ball was left on the table and it was the captain’s turn to name the pocket.
The tension rose as Kathryn stalked around the table, working out the best angle from which to take the shot.
“For goodness sake, Captain,” Tom finally groaned, no doubt in an attempt to put off his commanding officer and so take the shot himself. “Just go ahead and SHOOT.”
Realising that this was the young lieutenant’s attempt to distract his captain, Chakotay wondered for a moment if Kathryn’s concentration would waver.
It didn’t. Kathryn, for her part, merely raised her eyes from the table to glare briefly at her helmsman. Barely a second later she had named her pocket and the black ball was rolling neatly into it. “I’m never afraid of taking a shot, Mister Paris. Just pray that I never take one at you.” She held out her hand. “Winnings please.”
FINIS