SUMMARY: Twenty years after the events of Caretaker, Voyager is still in the Delta Quadrant. Even though Neelix left them many years ago, the Talaxian celebration of Prixin is still held annually. This year Naomi is attempting to convince Icheb to attend the party with her. But that turns out to be the easy part.
RATING: PG
DISCLAIMER: Hmm…Paramount’s originally, but I’m taking care of them for now!
“Hard to believe we’re still celebrating Prixin, isn’t it." The captain’s voice could be heard floating down the corridor.
“You say that every year, Kathryn,” her first officer replied. “And each year I tell you the same thing…”
“It’s something unique to the Delta Quadrant and Voyager.” Naomi couldn’t help but recite Chakotay’s oft-repeated phrase. She had heard the command duo coming and it had been an exercise in futility to keep from saying something.
“I can see I’ve got to change my speech,” the commander said, grinning. “If the young ones have it committed to memory then it must be time to try something new.”
Kathryn gave him a friendly backhand to the stomach. “You try something new? That’s a joke. You’ve been an old stick in the mud for years.” The captain turned back to the junior officer. “I trust you will be attending the party this evening, Ensign?”
Naomi smiled. “Of course I will, Captain. I’ve never missed a Prixin yet.” Her nose screwed up slightly. “Whether or not I can get Icheb to come is another matter. The commander’s not the only stick in the mud.”
“Hey,” Chakotay retorted, trying his best to look offended. “Have some respect for your elders, missy.” He shook his head at Janeway. “Officers nowadays, they just don’t have respect for the chain of command. Maybe it’s time to bow out gracefully and see how long they survive without us.”
The captain snorted. “Well, you can. But I intend to remain captain until I die which will, of course, be after you do. That way you can’t get the position.”
Chakotay glared at her and Naomi noted with silent glee that, after twenty years in the Delta Quadrant, he had almost duplicated the captain’s infamous look. “Now that’s just mean.”
“Isn’t it,” she replied with a gentle pat on his arm. “Now Naomi, you tell Icheb that there is absolutely no reason for him to miss tonight’s event. I’m sure he’ll listen to you.” She paused. “And if he doesn’t, tell him it’s captain’s orders.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Naomi laughed.
“It’s not crunch time yet, Ensign.”
Naomi began to walk away from them. “Oh, I don’t know, Captain,” she said with a smirk. “It might be by the time I’m done convincing him.”
“But I don’t see the need to attend,” Icheb complained. “I have gone every year for the past fifteen years. Can’t I be excused for just one year? I’ve still got work to do.” His fingers flew over the panel in front of him.
Naomi sighed. As expected, she was not having an easy time persuading Icheb to attend the celebration. She decided to play her trump card and said cheerfully, “Captain’s orders.”
It didn’t work. “You say that every year,” he reminded her.
“We have this discussion every year. Look,” she leaned over his console to catch his full attention, “you didn’t go last year because you were in sickbay, so I think you should put in an appearance.”
“It’s the same every year though. I won’t be missing anything.”
Naomi gave another sigh. At the rate they were going it was doubtful that even she’d get there, which meant that the dress she had replicated for the evening would go to waste. Then again, it would go to waste anyway if… “Prixin is for family, Icheb, and you’re part of Voyager’s family. Everyone said last year how much they missed you.”
“They saw me at other times.” He continued to work. “It is just one event.”
Naomi had had enough. Her hand shot out and grasped his, putting a halt to his calculations. He stared at her and, seizing her chance, she said, “Do it for me.” To her horror it came out almost as a whisper, and in the brief silence that followed she swore she could hear her heart pounding.
Icheb seemed to sense the change in atmosphere. “It’s that important to you?”
Her eyes lowered to the console and she saw their clasped hands. “Yes,” she said quietly, wondering if she was about to lose her best friend.
“Then I will collect you at nineteen hundred hours.”
The Prixin celebration had changed little since it had first been held twenty years ago. Even after the ship’s only Talaxian had departed for his new life, it had continued as if by unspoken agreement among the crew. Tom Paris had taken over the organisation of the event and now it had its own planning committee. It was time for the entire crew to come together, with the exception of Tuvok, who preferred the silence of the bridge. But even he wasn’t forgotten as numerous crewmen took their turn in bringing him food. Two years ago he had also succeeded in winning the prize draw that took place each year. The captain had opened up a shipwide channel and called him all the numerous names she could think of. “Thank you, Captain,” he had replied, before closing the channel and counting the number of rations he had won. Tuvok was not a betting man, but he took a perverse secret pleasure in watching his captain and old friend grovel for a mug of coffee. Someone had once stated that Vulcans still felt the emotions, even if they didn’t display them…
Naomi was wondering if Icheb wasn’t part Vulcan. He had been pleasant enough since he had arrived to escort her to the party, but an hour into the evening she had decided that the dress had indeed been a complete waste. He reminded her of Seven in many ways, an awkward person to converse with at social occasions. The young woman sighed; she had thought a couple of years ago that he was starting to lighten up, and the Prixin when Q Jr. had decided to drop in – literally – had been a memorable occasion. She couldn’t remember a time when Icheb had laughed more.
“Okay, Q,” she whispered to the air. “Give a girl a break and help me out.”
He’s just nervous around you.
Her head whipped around, but of course there was no one there. Over the years she had gradually got used to having conversations such as these. But at least the son was better than the father was; Junior knew when not to intrude and Naomi had come to consider him a good friend.
“Nervous?”
He likes you. I know he does. He just needs a little time. There was a pause. Of course, if I were him…
“Which you are not,” Naomi hissed. She turned hastily as she caught Sue Nicoletti’s concerned glance. The last thing she needed was someone thinking she was insane – or worse still, drunk.
Oh well. She heard a faint laugh. But if you decide not to wait on old Itchy, you know where to find me.
Naomi shook her head and strode off to find her flesh and blood friend. It didn’t take too long to spot him, standing in conversation with Commander Chakotay, who was patting him on the shoulder and smiling. Perhaps they were reminiscing over Seven. Her death, ten years ago, had hit the two men hard. As much as Naomi had liked Seven she had still been amazed to learn the extent of Chakotay’s relationship with her. They had just seemed too… different.
“Hi,” she said softly as she approached them.
“Hey Naomi, happy Prixin,” the commander said jovially, casually swinging an arm around her shoulder and hugging her. “By the way, nice dress.” He turned to the younger man. “Don’t you think so, Icheb?”
“Um, yes.”
In exasperation, she flung a look at Chakotay. A man of wisdom, the first officer decided to change the subject. “Don’t suppose you’ve seen the captain, have you?”
She laughed. “I think she’s in the kitchen.”
“Already?” Chakotay shook his head. “Whoever invented Irish Coffee needs to be shot.” He excused himself to go in search of his best friend who, each year, never failed to add caffeine to her shot of whiskey.
“Maybe this will be the year,” Naomi speculated.
“For what?”
“For them to get to finally get together, of course.” She paused. “I just don’t get you at times. I thought you were learning to have fun. I used to enjoy being with you, but now it’s as though you don’t want to do anything outside of Astrometrics.”
“I have a job to do there.”
“Not twenty-four hours a day.” She nodded over to the kitchen where Chakotay appeared to be facing a loosing battle; that was definitely a coffee mug in Janeway’s hand. “Even the captain knows when to relax.”
“Relaxing appears to be a human trait. I am not human.”
She glared at him. “Oh, excuse me,” she said sarcastically. “I must have forgotten to wear my horns this evening. It’s not exclusive to humans you know. Take a look at Chell over there.”
“I’d rather not. No doubt he is drunk and attempting to move on every available female that passes his way.”
It was on the tip of Naomi’s tongue to say something about Chell’s flirtatiousness, and how Icheb could perhaps learn from him, when Harry Kim walked by. He nodded to the duo and then cast a glance upward. “Well, Icheb, take a look at that.” He planted a light kiss on Naomi’s cheek. “Happy Prixin, Naomi.”
The mistletoe! She’d not even noticed it hanging over their heads. “Thanks Harry,” she said, forcing out a polite smile.
“Another Earth custom I don’t understand,” Icheb muttered as soon as the older man was out of earshot.
Naomi had finally had enough. “That’s it,” she snapped. “I have tried my best to enjoy tonight but you are just determined to ruin it for me.” She was close to tears. “You’ve not even commented on my dress and I replicated it tonight especially for you. Well, I’m leaving. If anyone asks, you can tell them I’ve gone back to my quarters.”
She fled the room, not noticing any of her fellow crewmen who were staring in concern after her. Through her tears she managed to command the turbolift to take her where she needed. Finally, she reached her quarters, where she collapsed onto her bed sobbing loudly.
It must have been a good hour later when she became aware of her doorbell chiming. Reaching under a pillow she grabbed a tissue and rubbed her face fiercely with it.
“Computer, who’s at the door?” Perhaps she could feign sleep and whoever it was would go away.
“Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay.”
There was no avoiding your captain. Naomi scrambled off her bed and ran quick fingers through her hair. “Enter,” she called, trying to put some cheer into her voice.
The door slid open and her guests stepped into the small quarters. Janeway immediately sat down on the bed, while her companion leaned against the wall.
The captain did not look happy. “Well, young lady,” she began, “you managed to ruin our evening quite well.”
Naomi dropped her head down and stared at the floor. The last thing she ever wanted to do was disappoint her captain. “I am so sorry, Captain. I just couldn’t take any more of Icheb so I thought it best that I leave.”
“You were all anyone could talk about,” the commander said. “So much for our news being the highlight of the evening.”
“I am so sorry,” Naomi repeated before jerking her head up. “What news?”
Janeway was smiling now, and it was a relief to see. “Remember our discussion in the corridor earlier?”
“When you were laughing about retiring?” Her eyes widened. “You mean you are?”
Chakotay nodded. “We’ve decided to take our lives back.”
“There will be a formal ceremony tomorrow morning,” the captain continued. “Although Tuvok was technically next in line, he has decided that he would rather retain his position as Chief of Security. Therefore, Tom Paris will receive a promotion to Captain and Harry Kim will be his first officer.” The older woman’s eyes sparkled. “Which means Voyager will need a new chief communications officer.”
“Congratulations, Lieutenant,” Chakotay said with a grin.
Naomi’s chin dropped. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Absolutely not,” Janeway replied. “It was unfortunate that you couldn’t hear it for yourself earlier. Your mother is thrilled.” She stood up, and in two quick strides had crossed the room to give Naomi a hug. “Congratulations.” Pulling back, she smiled gently at the young woman. “Oh, and by the way, there’s someone outside who’d quite like to talk with you.”
Naomi’s mood plummeted. “Icheb,” she groaned. “I don’t know what to say to him.”
“I rather think he had something to say to you actually.”
Before Naomi could say anything, Janeway and Chakotay had left and Icheb was standing in the open doorway. “May I come in?” he asked hesitantly.
Naomi nodded, her mouth too dry to say anything. For so long she had teetered on the edge of indecision, not knowing if she should tell Icheb of her feelings towards him or not. Now, it appeared that her hand was about to be forced.
Her friend took a few steps into her quarters and the door slid closed behind him. For a moment the two young people just looked at each other unable to say anything. Finally, Naomi swallowed and said, “I’m sorry.”
“I noticed your dress.” The words came out of his mouth in a rush. “I should have said something, but… but I couldn’t. I didn’t know what to say.” Icheb stepped forward and took hold of Naomi’s small hands. “You really do look beautiful tonight.”
She laughed. “You mean I did. I must look appalling now.” She bit her lip in concern. “I wonder what the captain thought.”
“She probably didn’t notice.” He released one of his hands and ran a finger down her cheek. “I am so sorry that I upset you. It was never my intention. I just didn’t know what to say.”
“So you reverted back to your old self.”
He hung his head, rubbing a thumb over the back of her hand. “Yes. This is all so new to me.”
“You’ve never been in love before.”
The words were out before Naomi could stop herself. Icheb’s face instantly darkened. “Do not mock me,” he snapped.
“I’m not mocking you,” she retorted. “I was stating a fact.”
“There was no need to.” He shook his head. “It’s bad enough that you’re the only one I’ve ever been in love with. You’ve been a part of my life for so long that this feeling is unexpected. What?”
Naomi had barely heard any of Icheb’s last sentence. “You’re in love with me?” she gasped.
“I thought that was obvious.”
“Well, actually it wasn’t. When I commented earlier I was going out on a limb and hoping I didn’t need to take a shuttle off this ship in order to fly myself into a supernova.”
He cradled her face in his hands and stared into her eyes, and time seemed to stop for Naomi as she gazed breathlessly at him. “I couldn’t stand it if you did that,” he said quietly, before lowering his lips to hers.
Time was now irrelevant to Naomi. She responded eagerly to his touch, placing her arms around his neck and drawing him closer. This was the culmination of everything she had hoped for, more than she had hoped for. In recent months as she felt her feelings towards her friend had changed she could only dream of what this event might be like. And now she found that the reality was so much greater than the dream.
When they finally drew apart she gulped and whispered, “Wow.”
He smiled at her. “Was that all right?”
She could still see the nervousness in his eyes. “More than all right,” she replied, quick to reassure him that he had done the right thing.
“I wanted to earlier,” he confessed, “but the mistletoe was… I didn’t want our first kiss to be in front of a crew who would be quick to judge.”
“They wouldn’t judge,” Naomi laughed. “Well, Tom might have been thinking about holding up those stupid ‘Perfect 10’ signs that he used when Harry and Megan got together, but captains-to-be can’t do that sort of thing.”
“Captains do have to maintain a sense of decorum,” Icheb observed.
“Yeah, but Astrometrics and communications officers don’t.”
“Meaning?”
Naomi’s arms snaked around his waist. “Kiss me again,” she commanded.
“And if I say no?”
This time she could see the love in his eyes. “Well,” she pouted, “I’d just have to say ‘resistance is futile.’”
“You might be right about that,” Icheb said as he lowered his head. “So I guess I’ll just have to comply.”
FINIS