STAR TREK: VOYAGER

"Disequilibrium"

by Beep

berlinpup@gmail.com

Disclaimer #1: The characters belong to Paramount/Viacom, not me (unfortunately), and I promise to put them back on the shelf when I'm done with them. They will be unharmed. Well, most of them. Mostly.

Disclaimer #2: This is a J/7 story, and there's love between two women. If that's not your thing, how did you even find this? Oh, yeah, there's sex too, so if you're not old enough for NC-17 material, don't let your parents catch you. Psst, reading under your blanket by the faint light of your flashlight won't hurt your eyes, no matter what your folks are saying … ;-)

Disclaimer #3: This is a sequel to my story "Get Over It". You might want to read that first since I'm not going to repeat anything much from that story. I'm also not filling in any background – thought I'd warn you just in case. If you're reading this, I'm assuming you know Janeway, Seven, and the story of Voyager. No need for me to tell you that Seven is a 6-foot blonde ex-Borg. Right?

Dedication: This is dedicated to Sazzy, whose comments had a major impact on the story and made it so much better – even if I had to do a major re-write; to XV who provided coffee, chocolate cake, and inspiration (*waggles eyebrow*), and – last but never, never least – to DAx. @--->---

dis·e·qui·lib·ri·um, n: a loss or absence of stability or balance

"The time is 0600 hours."

Kathryn Janeway sighed as the computer declared the beginning of another day. She woke up slowly, her mouth curling into a smile as she became aware of her position. She was lying in the middle of her bed, naked, completely wrapped around an equally naked Seven of Nine. Her heart skipped a beat at the sheer pleasure of waking up this way.

She sighed again and tightened her hold on Seven, and was happily surprised when she felt long arms tense around her. Within moments, she was lying completely on top of Seven, their bodies touching all along their lengths.

"Good morning, Kathryn," Seven murmured as she nuzzled the captain's hair.

Kathryn pressed a kiss to Seven's sternum, then moved upward until she met expectant lips for a long, slow kiss. "Good morning, Seven," she whispered huskily as they parted.

"Did you sleep well?" Seven's voice was huskier than usual too.

Kathryn chuckled. "I slept wonderfully. For all of the fifteen minutes that you let me." She laughed quietly and shook her head. She couldn't remember another night where she had made love until the morning hours. By all rights she should be tired but she felt wonderful and energized, ready to take on the universe as long as Seven was at her side.

"I apologize, Kathryn," Seven replied quietly. "I should have let you sleep. However, it seems I was unable to stop touching you, being with you. I have never …"

She was stopped by a pair of lips pressed tenderly against her own, and she relaxed into the kiss. Seven felt bad for not allowing the captain any sleep but apparently the captain saw things differently.

"Seven," Kathryn began once the kiss ended, "I couldn't have stopped touching you either, even if I had wanted to." She kissed her lover again. "And I definitely didn't want to."

"But now you must be tired—"

"Yes, I'll probably be tired later today but right now I'm not," Janeway replied with a smile. "On the contrary, darling. This was one of the best nights of my life and I feel absolutely great this morning." Her smile grew wider. "Making love to you was what I needed last night, and I needed it much more than sleep."

"I am glad." Seven cupped the captain's face in her hand and placed butterfly kisses on her eyelids, nose, and finally her mouth. "I love you, my captain."

Seven increased the intensity of her kisses, drawing the captain into a hot and passionate meeting of lips and tongues. She teased the captain's tongue with her own and was delighted when the response was an impassioned groan. Seven let her hands slip through the captain's hair and down her back until one hand was on Kathryn's hip and the other on her buttocks, pulling the captain rhythmically against herself.

With an agonized groan, Kathryn tore herself from Seven's mouth. "Oh God, Seven, do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

Seven's reply was to swirl her metal-encased fingertips in the captain's wetness from behind, then withdraw quickly.

"Seven," Kathryn said again, although it was uncertain if it was a plea or a complaint. Even Kathryn didn't know. "Seven, we have to stop," she moaned, even as she pressed her body into Seven's and her eyes closed in pleasure as Seven dipped her fingers back inside her. "Please, Seven, you have to stop," she tried again.

"Why?"

"Because I can't," Kathryn said, her voice showing her frustration. "I want you so much but I have to be on the bridge in a few minutes for my shift."

Seven seemed to ponder this information for a few seconds and stilled her hand. Kathryn was unsure whether she should be happy or disappointed but she knew she needed to get up soon.

Suddenly, Seven pushed two fingers deep inside her from behind, and Kathryn's eyes rolled back in her head with a loud moan. "Oh God, Seven … what … oh yes, Seven … no … yes, yes …. ooohhhhh …."

"This will not take long, Kathryn," Seven said against her lips, before pulling her into a series of searing kisses.

You have no idea, was Kathryn Janeway's last thought before her world exploded in beautiful colors as she came fast and hard, with an intensity that surprised her. She tore her mouth from Seven's to pull some air into her lungs, and so she could scream. It sounded animalistic to her, and the one tiny corner of her brain that was not busy exploding in pleasure wondered if she had ever made a sound like that before.

Seven stilled her hand but stayed inside Kathryn, having learned over the course of the night that this was something her lover enjoyed. Only when Kathryn started to shift did she remove her fingers and brought her hand up to her face to lick it clean, smiling happily at the taste.

Kathryn's eyes widened and took on a hungry look at the display. She pulled her body up, pushed the Borg-enhanced hand out of the way with her face, and kissed Seven, hard, pushing her tongue deeply into her lover's mouth, chasing her own taste. Then she pulled back quickly, breathlessly. She stared down at Seven, her face serious, and for a nanosecond Seven wondered if she had gone too far. But since the captain's eyes were a vibrant blue, indicative of a pleasant mood, Seven wasn't too worried.

"I love you, Seven," Kathryn quietly, and quite earnestly, declared. "And that just now was wonderful." She chuckled warmly. "Unexpected … but wonderful."

"I love you as well, Kathryn," Seven replied, equally serious.

"I know."

With a sigh, Kathryn rolled away from the enticing body beneath her. "But now I have to get up so I can make it to the bridge relatively on time." She looked back at Seven as she sat on one side of the bed. "However much I don't want to leave this bed or you, and believe me, I really don't want to."

"Unfortunately, you must." Seven rolled towards the other side of the bed and to her feet in one graceful, fluid motion that the captain envied. "Regrettably, I also have to report to cargo bay two for my scheduled regeneration." With that, Seven walked into the bathroom.

Janeway stopped dead next to the bed. "Damn, I totally forgot about that. Two days of regeneration." She looked decidedly unhappy. "Damn, damn, damn," she muttered as she finally followed Seven, who was already done with her sonic shower when Janeway entered the bathroom. The fact that Seven was standing naked in front of the mirror raised Kathryn's mood considerably.

"Efficient," she said with a smile and pressed a kiss between Seven's shoulder blades. Then, because she couldn't resist, she pressed her whole body against Seven's back and wrapped her arms tightly around the lanky body. She rested her chin on Seven's shoulder and their eyes met in the mirror. No words were needed between them. Seven's hands covered her own, and she watched as both their faces broke into wide, happy grins.

Kathryn lightly patted her lover's tight stomach, pressed another kiss against the shoulder, then turned to enter the shower stall. Seven's eyes followed her admiringly, tracing the trail the water left on the compact body. She contemplated joining the captain but knew that their play was over for this morning. She shook her head and proceeded to recycle her biosuit.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

When Janeway emerged from her bedroom, fully clothed in her uniform and just putting on her pips, the smell of coffee greeted her nostrils and she inhaled deeply. With a smile, Seven took the pips from her hand and handed her a steel mug with the other. "Allow me to assist you," she said quietly.

Janeway took a mouthful of coffee and waited for the caffeine to start spreading in her bloodstream. She smiled at Seven, who was focused on placing the four pips in a straight line along the captain's collar. Possibly the straightest line of command pips you'll ever see, she thought fondly, and rewarded Seven with a sweet kiss as soon as the last pip was done.

"I repeat, efficient," Janeway murmured after a long moment.

Seven gave her a grin and walked over to the table to get her own breakfast, a tall glass of brownish liquid that looked utterly horrible to the captain.

"What is that?"

"This is Nutritional Supplement No. 12." If Seven had detected the disgust in the captain's voice, she didn't let on. "It provides all the nutrition I require, and it is an amount my stomach can handle."

"But what does it taste like?" Kathryn took a closer look at the glass. "It looks so … bland." That's one way to put it.

"Taste?" Seven questioned, a blank look on her face. "Taste is—"

"Please don't tell me taste is irrelevant," Kathryn interrupted with a chuckle. "That's not what you said last night."

Surprisingly, Seven blushed. "You are correct, Kathryn. Taste is not irrelevant." She took another sip of her breakfast drink. "Perhaps this nutritional supplement could be considered bland but …" She got a devilish gleam in her eye. "Would you like to try it?"

The captain swallowed audibly but nodded. It's the least you can do, Katie. Just pretend it's a diplomatic function, and you're looking at a plate of gagh. Keep smiling. She took the glass and carefully lifted it to her face. It was relatively odorless with only a hint of nut-like aroma, which was definitely helping. Fighting the urge to hold her nose closed to deaden her taste buds she took a careful sip.

"What …? I thought …" Janeway stammered in surprise after the flavor burst in her mouth.

Seven actually chuckled at the look on her lover's face. "I am able to program the replicator to simulate any flavor I wish." She smiled indulgently at the captain who still looked slightly shocked. "I anticipated your reaction to my breakfast and thought it advisable to remove some of your preconceptions."

"That you did, darling, that you did." Kathryn laughed and took another sip. "But I thought you didn't like coffee."

"I do not care for the taste as much as you do but I do not think it is as vile a concoction as I have previously stated."

"Lucky me." Kathryn returned the half-empty glass to its rightful owner and grabbed her coffee mug again. "So, are you telling me this is a perfectly balanced breakfast?" There were possibilities there. "Could you program the parameters into the replicator in my ready room? This seems to be the perfect snack for me."

Seven handed her a PADD with a small, triumphant smile, happy that the captain had fallen for her little plan so easily. "The parameters are in here. You will just have to transfer them."

Her reward was a short but intense kiss. "Thank you." Then Janeway squared her shoulders. "Come on, I think I'll tuck you in."

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

I wonder how things ended last night between Seven and the captain, B'Elanna thought as she walked the corridor down towards cargo bay two. Earlier that morning, she had felt the sudden urge to pick up some extra gel packs for repairs that might or might not get scheduled for later in the week. She grinned. It was as good an excuse as any to check if Seven had made it back to her alcove. You could have asked the computer, she reminded herself in the next second but for some reason she had wanted to see Seven before her duty shift, hoping that her face would give something away even in regeneration mode. If she was regenerating at all, her mind added. After last night, she wasn't taking anything for granted.

B'Elanna stopped short when the door to cargo bay two remained closed at her approach. "Not again," she said under her breath. For a second she contemplated trying to override the door lock, just like she had done the night before, but the thought that the captain might catch her again made her pause.

"Computer, who is currently in cargo bay two?" she quietly asked. Had to ask the computer after all, her mind snickered.

"Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine are in cargo bay two," came the prompt reply.

"I knew it," B'Elanna said to the closed door, congratulating herself on her good timing. She would just wait right here in the corridor and coincidentally bump into the captain when she came out. She casually leaned against the bulkhead opposite the cargo bay.

She didn't have to wait long before the doors swished open and the captain came out, smiling softly. The smile was replaced by the command mask as soon as she saw B'Elanna pushing herself off the bulkhead with a grin.

"Good morning, Captain," the engineer greeted cheerfully.

"Hello, B'Elanna," Janeway replied silkily. "Somehow I doubt it's a coincidence that I'm running into you here this morning."

B'Elanna tried an innocent look. "I was just waiting until access to the cargo bay wasn't restricted any longer." She leaned closer. "Honestly, Captain, you can't keep this area off-limits all the time when Seven is regenerating. Some people actually need to go in there, you know."

The captain's reaction was unexpected: she blushed. "Damn, B'Elanna, don't you think I know that?" She turned to look at the doors. "It's just that …" She trailed off.

"All of a sudden you don't want the whole crew to go in there when Seven is sleeping, right?" B'Elanna's expression was thoughtful. There was a new plan forming in her mind. "So, can I assume that you and Seven resolved your problems last night?"

Janeway shot B'Elanna a measured look, letting her wait until she could see the engineer beginning to squirm under her steady gaze. "You're skating on thin ice, Ms. Torres," she finally said. Then she started thinking about what Seven had said to her last night, that the engineer would help them get accepted by the crew. She appreciated the fact that B'Elanna had helped Seven, even though she didn't like the Borg. That thought softened her expression and she saw B'Elanna relax slightly.

"Come on, we don't want the others to wait any longer than they have to," Janeway finally said and started walking down the corridor.

B'Elanna followed readily. "They won't start the meeting without you, Captain."

"True," Janeway said with a grin. "However, I don't want to be too late." She was serious now. "Knowing Chakotay, he'll ask the computer where I am, and I really don't want to explain just yet why I'm late or what I was doing in cargo bay two where Seven is regenerating." She took a deep breath. "It's quite enough that you and doctor know."

"You know neither of us would ever say anything to anyone, Captain." B'Elanna actually sounded offended by the thought. "But do you really think you can keep this a secret?"

They had reached the turbolift, which was empty. "Deck one," the captain absent-mindedly instructed the computer. "Don't get me wrong, B'Elanna," she said when the turbolift began its ascent, "I won't keep the fact the I love Seven a secret. I really doubt I could anyway." She couldn't stop the smile that erupted at the thought and at B'Elanna's grin. "But we both need to get used to the idea first before the whole crew offers us their opinion on it. I need some time."

"Computer, halt turbolift." B'Elanna turned towards the captain, hearing the slight worry in her tone. "Captain, first off, I'm really happy that things between you two are working out. I know I couldn't be considered Seven's friend but …"

"I think after last night she considers you a friend, B'Elanna," Janeway interrupted. "Thank you for helping her … that means a lot to her, and to me." She looked at B'Elanna questioningly. "Why did you help her?"

"Honestly, Captain?" B'Elanna shrugged. "I think I just got caught up in the whole romance of it, you know? Both of you in love with each other and not knowing it? It was painful seeing you circle around each other. And then, after you had left sickbay, Seven was so vulnerable, so … human, I just couldn't not help." The engineer met the captain's eyes. "She really loves you, Captain, with every fiber of her being. I hope you know that."

Janeway wondered if there was an implied threat in the way the statement was voiced but she wasn't too worried. "I know it, B'Elanna. Seven made that perfectly clear last night." She blushed, her body and mind remembering a variety of ways that Seven had proved her point.

"And you have no idea how happy that knowledge makes me." Janeway grinned as she continued. "And before you ask: although it's none of your business I'm going to tell you that I love her just as much."

B'Elanna blushed, not expecting such a declaration. "I thought so," she finally mumbled, slightly uncomfortable but still puzzled. "And as I said, I'm happy for you. So why do you …?"

"B'Elanna," Janeway interrupted. "I can't just announce it in the senior staff meeting, now can I? Can you imagine their faces?" She paused for a moment. "Besides, I doubt all of them will be quite as accepting as you are, and I'd like to let them get used to it slowly."

B'Elanna thought about that but wasn't sure who the captain was worried about. In her opinion, the captain and Seven were a great match, and the rest of the crew should be happy for them. She decided to let it go, for now, knowing she would find out sooner or later. "Well, I'd say you have two days before Seven gets out of her cycle," she finally said. "Because once the others see you two together you won't need to make an announcement. It'll be clear as day to anyone who sees you now."

Captain Janeway nodded. "I know." She squared her shoulders. "Computer, resume."

"So, Captain," B'Elanna asked quietly, just as they reached the bridge. "What are you going to do about access to cargo bay two? Maybe you should get Seven her own quarters." Not that there were any free quarters available, B'Elanna added silently, happy to just subtly prod her captain in the direction where she wanted her to go.

Then she walked out of the turbolift and towards the conference room, leaving Janeway to stare after her with a thoughtful expression on her face.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

The meeting of the senior staff went smoothly, apart from the fact that Janeway found it hard to keep her eyes open during the less exciting moments. She knew it was time for more coffee when she totally blanked out during Neelix's report on their supply status.

The only thing keeping her awake were the vivid flashes of last night that flooded her mind, usually triggered by a word or a certain gesture that reminded her of Seven. She had to concentrate on not blushing furiously during those moments and the knowing looks B'Elanna sent her at seemingly random intervals didn't help.

Janeway was glad when the meeting was over. Apparently everyone had agreed that they needed to find a suitable planet soon, as the crew needed shore leave after their last adventure with the Borg, and Neelix needed to stock up on some natural food sources. Due to Seven's absence, Chakotay had put Harry Kim in charge of finding that planet before bringing the meeting to a close.

Chakotay shot the captain a curious look when she left the conference room and walked straight across the bridge and into her ready room, and she knew she could expect a visit from her second in command sooner or later. He'd probably want to talk to her about the last mission too, and she was certain she couldn't put him off as easily as she had been able to the night before.

So it came as no surprise when she heard the door chime as soon as she had sat down with a tall glass of her new mid-morning snack. Her visitor, however, was a surprise.

"Tuvok?"

"Captain," he greeted her as he stepped up to her desk.

"Take a seat," Janeway invited him. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Actually, Captain," Tuvok replied quietly, "I was wondering if there was something I could help you with."

"What do you mean?" Janeway was flabbergasted and very curious. "What makes you think I need help?"

"The fact that you are drinking one of Seven's nutritional supplements?" His voice sounded even drier than usual. "Or the fact that you appear to be easily distracted this morning."

"And that's so unusual?"

"You know that it is, Captain," Tuvok stayed his course but then he paused. When he continued, his voice was almost gentle. "Captain … I …"

"You know, huh?" Janeway interrupted his careful approach, sparing him the trouble of having to spell it out. When he approached her like that he was getting into something personal, and since he never talked about himself, she knew he had to be aware of her and Seven. How he knew was a mystery to her, though.

"Am I that obvious, Tuvok?" The captain wasn't sure she liked being read like a book, not even by an old friend.

"No, Captain, it is not obvious," he reassured her. "But I have known you for a very long time …"

"So, you're saying I was obvious to you," Janeway stated with a grin.

Tuvok thought it prudent not to mention just how obvious the captain's behavior during their recent encounter with the Borg Queen had been. He knew her well enough to be certain she would not appreciate that insight. "I included cargo bay two in my rounds last night. I wanted to check on Seven but she was not in her alcove."

Janeway sat back in her chair with a shrug. "Yes, she was in my quarters. We had some things to talk about."

"Your … relationship?" Tuvok was uncharacteristically hesitant.

The captain chuckled. "Tuvok, why is it that you're trying to talk to me about personal things when it makes you so damn uncomfortable?"

"As your oldest friend on board I feel it is my duty," Tuvok replied calmly. "I also have to admit I feel a certain … familial … responsibility towards Seven of Nine. And as your security chief I need to know whether this development might have any effect on the ship and crew."

Janeway leaned forward, any trace of their casual conversation gone. "How do you think it will affect the other senior officers?"

Tuvok was quiet for a few moments, no doubt contemplating the various officers of the senior staff. "I think there might be two groups," he finally began. "Those that will be happy for you, and those who will, for one reason or another, have difficulty coping with the new situation. The former group should be the bigger of the two, however."

Janeway was happy to hear that but she wanted details. "Would you care to elaborate?"

While Tuvok explained his thoughts on the matter, Janeway's thoughts drifted a bit. She was still following Tuvok's explanation – it was too important not to – but she also thought about his reasons for talking to her at all. She was touched that her security chief considered Seven family. Who'd have thought I'd ever marry into a Vulcan family? Her eyes widened in surprise at her own thoughts. Nonononono, I'm not thinking that. She dragged her mind from the mental image of Seven in a lacy white dress and focused on Tuvok again.

"Do you disagree with my findings?" Tuvok asked just then, obviously having seen her reaction to her own thoughts.

The captain was glad she had managed to follow his explanation. "No, I completely agree. Tom won't have a problem with it, and neither will Neelix. And as for B'Elanna," the captain continued with a smile. "Tuvok, she already knows, as does the doctor." She saw him twitching an eyebrow at that revelation. "In fact, B'Elanna more or less pushed me in Seven's direction because she couldn't watch us circling each other any longer. Or so she said."

"That will be very helpful with the rest of the crew," Tuvok admitted. "Her often loudly stated opinions are usually followed by the lower deck crew."

"Indeed, that's what Seven said too," Janeway agreed with a smile. "That leaves Ensign Kim and Chakotay."

"I believe that Mr. Kim will have misgivings at first, no doubt influenced by his own feelings towards Seven of Nine. He will, however, follow the example set by Lieutenant Torres and Mr. Paris."

Janeway tried not to flinch at the mention of Harry's feelings for Seven. Everyone knew that he had a crush on her, including the captain and the former Borg, but she really didn't like the thought of someone else looking at Seven that way. She sighed. "I agree."

Tuvok nodded slowly. "I find it harder to predict how Commander Chakotay will react but I fear he might feel … slighted."

"Slighted? Explain."

"The commander has romantic feelings for you himself, Captain, and that will undoubtedly influence his response." Tuvok's voice was impassive as ever when he delivered this information. At seeing his captain's face, he continued. "Surely you were aware of that, Captain?"

Janeway shook her head. "I had no idea," she whispered. "I mean, I knew there was something years ago but why would he hold onto that when he clearly had no chance?"

"I suppose he did not see it that way. He might have assumed that you shared his feelings but were simply abstaining from a relationship for the sake of your command. That will change now. And that--"

"Could make him rethink the situation," Janeway finished his thought. "What do you think he'd do?"

Tuvok's shoulders moved in an almost imperceptible shrug. "I have no frame of reference on which to base his expected behavior."

"But?"

"I would assume that Commander Chakotay might start by citing Starfleet regulations about fraternization."

"Which have no bearing on this situation since Seven isn't Starfleet," the captain mused aloud. "But he'll probably do that, I agree." How ironic, she thought, that a former Maquis could resort to that.

"He could also offer himself as a more suitable mate for you, Captain."

"Which he isn't." Janeway's voice was steely.

Tuvok conceded the point with a nod. "He could try to have you removed from command," he then dropped a second bomb.

"He wouldn't do that!" Janeway exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "There's no reason to even think about that."

"Captain, I am merely pointing out the possibilities," Tuvok said in a quiet voice. "You just went against the Borg to retrieve a crew member who by all accounts had left the ship voluntarily to go back to them. He could argue that you are … unstable."

Janeway started pacing. She opened her mouth to defend her actions – again – but Tuvok stopped her with a raised hand.

"Captain," he calmly continued, "the doctor would not go along with it in any case."

Janeway sat back down and focused on Tuvok. "Good thing because that would be mutiny," Janeway spluttered. "You can't believe Chakotay would actually go that far. I refuse to believe it. He's always been a good first officer."

The twitch in Tuvok's eyebrow told the captain that he wasn't entirely convinced.

"I'll talk to him," the captain said, determination coloring her tone. "I think I need to tell him before he hears some rumor about me and Seven. I'll tell him so he understands that this relationship will not affect my command or our working relationship." She took a deep breath. "Damn, I wanted some time just for Seven and myself to get used to the idea of being together. I wasn't exactly planning on a shipwide announcement."

"I do not think that will be necessary. However, might I suggest informing the senior staff?" Tuvok's eyebrow quirked. "Not that there are many of them left who do not know."

Janeway had to laugh at that, recognizing the truth. "Thank you, old friend. I think I'll do that."

With that, Tuvok got up and left. The captain's gaze followed him, her thoughts already on the problem at hand. She knew she would have to talk to Chakotay. The other senior officers were an entirely different matter altogether. She just couldn't see herself asking them into her ready room one at a time to bare her soul to them.

Suddenly, a wicked smile broke out across her face and her hand slapped her combadge. "Janeway to Torres."

"Go ahead, Captain."

"If you have a minute, I'd like to see you in my ready room."

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

"You want me to actually spread around that you and Seven are together?" B'Elanna didn't even try to hide her utter astonishment. "But this morning you said that you didn't want them to know just yet."

"I know, I know," Janeway replied and took another sip of her nutritional supplement. "Tuvok convinced me that it would be a good idea to let the senior staff know, and he advised me to do it before the rumor mill does it for me."

B'Elanna wasn't stupid. "And you want me to influence the rumor mill in a certain direction. Clever."

"Thanks," Janeway commented dryly. "However, I'll tell Chakotay myself sometime tonight, so I'd like you to wait until I give you the go ahead before spreading the latest juicy rumor about your captain."

B'Elanna laughed out loud. "That's right up my alley. I'll just tell Tom and Harry tonight in the mess hall and make sure that Neelix is in the vicinity." She paused and cleared her throat. "Why the special treatment for Chakotay, though? I could make sure he hears it from one of us, too."

Janeway looked down at her hands. "I think it's better if I handle Chakotay myself." She hoped her voice wasn't giving away her anxiety about that little talk.

Apparently, it did because B'Elanna sat up and tried to catch the captain's eye. "Do you think he'll make trouble for you and Seven?"

Janeway looked up sharply, surprised that B'Elanna was jumping to that conclusion so readily. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, it's no secret that he has feelings for you …" She stopped when she heard the captain's groan. "What?"

"Nothing," Janeway quickly said. "It's just that you're the second person today to tell me that. And I really thought we had left that in the past where it belongs. Apparently I was wrong."

"Ah." B'Elanna nodded. "He also doesn't like Seven. He never understood what you see in her and if he's already jealous of your bond now, he might be even more so when he finds out about you two."

"And what do you think he'll do, B'Elanna?" Janeway's tone was calmer than she felt. "You probably know him better than anyone else on board."

"I honestly have no idea, Captain," B'Elanna replied, regret coloring her voice. "He could behave in a mature way and accept that you're in love with someone else."

"Or?"

B'Elanna swallowed. "Or he could try and make life difficult for you." She paused. "What do you think, Captain?"

"I think I'll go with your first assessment," Janeway said firmly, although it sounded to B'Elanna as if she was trying to convince herself. "He's an adult and has always been an exemplary first officer."

Except where Seven was concerned … and you don't trust him fully, no matter what you're saying. B'Elanna watched the captain keenly and noticed the slight hesitation in the captain's tone. "Don't worry, Captain, I'll spin a great love story for the crew that will have everyone on our side. Even the Maquis."

Janeway nodded. "Well, it's actually Tuvok who's worried … but I'd appreciate that. Just don't turn my private life into a Klingon opera, please. I need to keep some of my command dignity."

"Captain, you worry too much," B'Elanna said with a grin. Then she got serious. "It's a good plan and should work. I'm sure you can handle Chakotay. He'll probably take it much better than we all think." And if he doesn't, I'll kick his ass or what's left of it after Janeway and Seven are done with him, B'Elanna vowed. Aloud she added, "Just let me know when to tell Tom, Harry, and Neelix."

"Thank you, B'Elanna," Janeway said as she stood.

"One last thing, Captain," the engineer said as she followed Janeway to the door. "You do realize that as soon as Neelix and Harry know, it'll be all over the ship, right?"

"I know. That's the plan, isn't it?" The captain's voice was resigned.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

Kathryn Janeway relaxed into her command chair and looked around the bridge. The alpha shift crew was working at their normal efficient levels at their respective stations, and even Tom Paris was focusing on his console. So why was she feeling so restless?

Her eyes fell on the empty chair next to hers. You know why, her mind reminded her. She sighed, quietly enough so that the small sound got lost in the din of the typical bridge background noise. Chakotay had excused himself to run an errand of some kind, and she was waiting for his return and an opportunity to ask him to dinner. She was unsure why but she dreaded the idea of dinner with him almost as much as she dreaded disclosing her feelings for Seven to him. It just didn't feel right to have dinner with Chakotay without telling Seven, especially now that she was aware of his feelings.

She looked back at Tuvok, wondering if his suspicions were correct. She still believed that Chakotay would accept her decision, even though he might not be entirely happy about it. He was her friend, after all, and had been for years. Tuvok suddenly left his station to head for the turbolift, giving her a small nod and a shake of his head to let her know that it was something that didn't concern her and he had to take care of. Some security matter that he felt obliged to check out, the captain concluded and turned to face the viewscreen again.

She decided to visit Seven in her cargo bay as soon as possible to tell her about her plans, regeneration or not. She knew Seven would be at least subconsciously aware of her, and that alone made her feel better. Maybe, just maybe she'll even wake up. There was hope in her mind's voice, and Janeway found it hard to stop those thoughts.

She wouldn't mind a hug.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

Chakotay shook his head as he walked down the corridor to cargo bay two, dismayed that a trace of the headache was still there, despite the doctor's hypospray. He felt extremely irritated but convinced that he was about to do the right thing for the ship. The ship was in danger after all, wasn't it? And he was the only one who could see that. It had all become so very clear to him this morning. So very clear.

He had woken up with an enormous headache but he felt his thoughts were clearer than they had ever been before. The headaches had come and gone but over the course of the morning he had also begun to feel slightly nauseous. It got so bad that he decided to see the doctor. The EMH had scanned him, thoroughly, but was unable to find the cause of the pain and nausea. There were, however, some irregularities in his scan that the EMH wanted to take a closer look at. Chakotay had decided not to mention his extremely clear thoughts, certain the doctor would take his ability away. He had almost refused the hypospray because he didn't want to lose his ability to see his world so clearly. It was almost as if he was on a quest. He knew exactly what to do and how to do it. His path was clear.

The doctor had wanted to keep Chakotay in sickbay to keep an eye on him but Chakotay had insisted on leaving, intent on carrying out his duty to his ship before his enemies could stop him. He didn't say anything to the doctor because he suddenly had the feeling that he was one of them. There was only one person on board who would understand him, his thoughts screamed, one person only that he needed. She would be his.

Chakotay frowned when he was stopped by the uncooperative doors of cargo bay two, and barely managed not to run into them. He looked around when he thought he heard a giggle but he couldn't see anyone. He missed the strawberry blonde head that ducked around the corner of the corridor and disappeared, only to come back up a few moments later to watch him.

Naomi Wildman had escaped her boring lessons with Neelix to check up on her best friend. She had been worried sick, literally, when Seven had disappeared with the Borg, and especially when she had realized that she and Captain Janeway were the only ones who were missing their friend. Naomi was very happy that Seven was back on board, and ever since she had been commended by the captain for coming up with a rescue plan – although that wasn't needed in the end – she had decided to keep an eye on her friend to make sure the Borg or any other bad guys couldn't get near her.

When Naomi had found the door to the cargo bay locked, she had deduced that the captain was equally worried about Seven, and so Naomi had hung around the corridor, keeping an eye on the cargo bay for the captain. It got boring after a while because nothing really happened in this part of the deck but then Commander Chakotay had almost crashed into the door, and now Naomi was alert.

She watched as the commander asked the computer about the status of the cargo bay, and was informed that access was restricted. He tried to override the lock by using his command codes, and Naomi began to wonder why the commander wanted to get into the cargo bay so desperately. And why he didn't ask the captain to give him access.

When Chakotay kneeled down and started working behind an access panel next to the door, Naomi decided to do something. She pressed her combadge, trying to be very quiet. "Naomi Wildman to Lt. Torres," she whispered, putting her mouth close to the combadge.

"Torres here," came the instant reply. "Naomi, is that you? I can hardly hear you."

"Yes," Naomi whispered, just a little louder. "Commander Chakotay is trying to get into cargo bay two but the door is locked."

"Naomi, what exactly is he doing?" B'Elanna's voice was interested now.

"I think he's scanning the controls next to the door with a tricorder but I can't really see what he's doing," Naomi replied after taking another peek around the corner.

"Okay, Naomi," B'Elanna said, "I'll be right there."

"Okay."

Naomi went back to watching the commander from her position, making sure she was mostly hidden behind her corner. She wasn't sure why that seemed like something she should do but the commander's behavior was weird, so she thought it better to stay out of the way.

It only took a minute or two for B'Elanna to arrive. She greeted Naomi with a finger held to her lips, and Naomi remained quiet as ordered. B'Elanna looked around the corner to see what Chakotay was doing, and had to grin when she saw him in the same position she had been in the night before. It's a good thing he doesn't have a clue what he's doing. And he has no chance breaking that lock. Especially since B'Elanna had gone back to the cargo bay after her talk with the captain to add a Borg encryption code to the door that Seven had shown her for emergencies.

B'Elanna straightened and put on a casual look as she turned the corner and walked towards Chakotay. He noticed her arrival straight away and seemed startled. "B'Elanna, what are you doing here?" he asked, and the engineer wondered if she imagined his nervousness.

"Oh, I just need a new gel pack from the cargo bay," she replied lightly. This is going to be my standard reply from now on, I can feel it. "What are you doing here? And what are you doing on the floor?"

Chakotay scrambled to his feet. "I wanted to check on Seven," he replied. "See if everything's okay with our runaway drone." His hand went up to his temple and rubbed his tattoo as if in pain.

"Are you okay?" B'Elanna asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Chakotay replied. "Why are you asking?"

"You seem … different somehow." B'Elanna looked at him closely. His face was a little pinched as if he had been dealing with some pain for some time, and his skin and eyes looked slightly irritated. "You look like you're not feeling your best. I think we'd better take you to sickbay, Chakotay."

"No, I'm fine! It's just a headache." Chakotay took a step back. "I've already seen the doctor and he gave me a hypospray. Nothing more he can do, B'Elanna."

"All right, if you say so." B'Elanna shrugged. "Well, since the doors here are apparently locked and access is restricted, I'd assume that Seven is regenerating as scheduled."

"I just wanted to make sure myself." Chakotay said with a slight flush, and B'Elanna made a mental note to talk to the captain about his behavior. She had the feeling there was more to it than a headache.

"I will make sure to tell Seven of Nine that you were worried about her," came a third voice from behind Chakotay.

B'Elanna grinned when she saw the tiny frown on Chakotay's face. "Hello, Tuvok," she greeted the new arrival. "What are you doing down here?"

"Yes, it's like a regular senior staff meeting," Chakotay grumbled.

"I was alerted by an attempt to override the access restriction placed on the cargo bay," Tuvok explained.

"Since I won't be getting my gel pack, I'll better get back to engineering now." B'Elanna turned to go.

"I am certain that the captain would be happy to let you accompany her should she want to check on Seven of Nine herself, Lieutenant," Tuvok said with a raised eyebrow, and the look he gave her told her that he knew about the Borg encryption code she had placed there. He knew that right now only Seven or the combination of B'Elanna and the captain could get these doors to open.

"I'll ask her then," B'Elanna said with a wink as she walked away, leaving Tuvok and Chakotay to face each other. Around the corner she gave Naomi a thumbs up and then took her hand and pulled her to the turbolift with her.

"We should return to our duty stations as well, Commander," Tuvok stated after a moment.

Reluctantly, Chakotay nodded. "After you, Tuvok."

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

The two men were standing next to each other in the quiet turbolift, facing the door. Tuvok quietly counted the seconds before Commander Chakotay would break the silence. He made it to nine.

"Tuvok," Chakotay said, not taking his eyes off the turbolift door. "Have you noticed anything unusual in the captain's behavior recently?"

"Unusual?" Tuvok also kept his eyes on the door.

"Yes," Chakotay continued. "She seemed distracted today, and last night she practically threw me out of her quarters when I wanted to talk to her about the mission."

"I assume the captain was exhausted after the rescue mission, Commander," Tuvok explained flatly, "as were the other members of her away team."

"And now she's made the cargo bay off limits," the first officer ranted on as if Tuvok hadn't spoken. "Doesn't she trust her crew any longer?"

Tuvok considered telling him that Chakotay's attempt to override the door lock proved that the captain's measures were justified but then decided against it. He would inform the captain and leave it up to her to do something about it or not. However … "Given the fact that most members of this crew did not seem to care that Seven had sacrificed herself to save them, and were indeed not unhappy that she was gone, I think the captain is correct in granting Seven some privacy while she recovers from her ordeal." Tuvok turned to face Chakotay. "It was I who recommended the door lock as chief of security."

Chakotay was saved the trouble of finding a reply to that by their arrival on the bridge. He stiffly walked over to his chair and sat down with a nod to the captain, who was studying something on the monitor next to her seat. His mind was busy analyzing the events of the past hour. Apparently, the doctor, B'Elanna, and Tuvok were on Seven's side, which was not his side. But they wouldn't stop his mission.

He started making a mental list of his enemies, while watching the captain surreptitiously, trying to figure out what was bothering him about her behavior. She seemed different to him. She is behaving strangely, he thought defiantly, no matter what Tuvok says. Last night she should have been happy that he had come to her quarters, even bringing his last bottle of Aldebaran whiskey for her, but she hadn't even let him inside her quarters. Yes, she had looked a bit tired but she was also tense and distracted.

He had wanted to talk to her about Seven's latest breach of protocol, and about what they should do about the drone. He was not happy that the Borg was back on board, and the main focus of his mission was to make sure she would not be there to bother them much longer.

Chakotay watched as the captain leaned back in her command chair, her features relaxed. Was that a smile on her face? She looked radiant and more beautiful than he could remember. Maybe I should invite her to dinner tonight, he mused. She seems to be in a good mood, and I'm sure I could convince her that it's much more fun to spend her off-duty time with me instead of a Borg drone who needs her guidance all the time. After all, how much fun could it be to play mentor to an ice queen after all? Maybe he could take Kathryn on this wonderful quest with him.

"Chakotay?" The captain's voice interrupted his mental ramblings. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine, Captain," he replied automatically. "Why?"

"You seemed lost in thought and I—"

"Kathryn," he interrupted her, "would you have dinner with me tonight?"

Hell, no! Janeway almost bit her tongue to prevent herself from saying the first thing that tried to come out of her mouth. She was irritated at his continued use of her first name, suggesting more intimacy between them than existed. And a lot more than she wanted, especially now. Remember, her mind spoke up, you want to have dinner with him tonight to tell him about you and Seven. Now you don't have to ask him.

She turned to him and tried to smile. "I'd like that, Chakotay."

The smile seemed to have worked, judging by the self-satisfied grin that broke out on Chakotay's face. "That's wonderful, Kathryn!" he enthused rather more loudly than she appreciated. "My quarters, 1900 hours?"

Janeway nodded her agreement but couldn't shake the feeling that something had just gone really, really wrong. "I'll take a walk," she announced And cargo bay two sounds like a wonderful destination to me, she added silently. "Commander, you have the bridge."

When she passed Tuvok's station she saw the frown between his eyebrows and the knot in her stomach spawned another knot.

"Captain," Tuvok said quietly as he handed her a PADD, which she took automatically. "Lt. Torres also mentioned that she required your assistance. I suggest you go to engineering before you proceed with your … walk."

Janeway studied the PADD in her hand and wondered if she was imagining all the subterfuge going on around her. However, knowing Tuvok, there was probably a good reason for him to send her to see B'Elanna before she went to see Seven, so Janeway simply nodded as she entered the turbolift.

"Deck eleven," she said as she activated the PADD.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

"Lt. Torres."

The chief engineer whirled around at the sound of Vorik's voice, nearly hitting her head on the Jeffries tube wall. "What?" she snarled, irritated at having her work interrupted.

"The captain would like to speak with you," the Vulcan replied in his imperturbable way. "I took the liberty of directing her to your office."

B'Elanna took a deep breath as she crawled out of the Jeffries tube. "Thank you, Vorik," she calmly replied when she was standing on her feet again.

"What can I do for you, Captain?" B'Elanna asked as she entered her office.

Janeway turned around to face her. "Actually, Tuvok said you needed me for something. And I have a feeling it has something to do with this." The captain held out the PADD she had been studying.

B'Elanna took the PADD and quickly read it. "You're correct," she said when she was done. "Chakotay's attempt to get into cargo bay two." The engineer hesitated. "Captain, I'm not sure what Chakotay was doing there or what he wanted in there but I'd bet a month's rations that it wasn't official business."

"If it had been, he would have asked me for access, so I have to agree with you." Janeway's expression was unreadable and her voice was flat. "It's a good thing cargo bay two is locked then, isn't it?"

The captain rubbed her forehead, trying to stave off the headache she could feel forming there. "I really have no explanation for his behavior." She sighed and leaned against B'Elanna's desk. "Any ideas?"

"Actually …" B'Elanna hesitated. "He seemed tense … and I think he was in some kind of pain. He said he'd already been to sickbay but that the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with him."

"Hm, I think tense is the right word for him." Janeway hit her combadge. "Janeway to sickbay."

"Sickbay here. What can I do for you, captain?"

"Doctor, did Commander Chakotay see you this morning?"

"Yes, he did. He complained about a headache but I couldn't find a reason for them. However …" The EMH paused.

"What, Doctor?"

"There were some irregularities in his scan that I haven't been able to figure out yet." It was clear from the doctor's voice that he didn't like admitting that.

"What kind of irregularities?" Janeway asked.

"His neural pattern seems slightly … off," the doctor replied. "Like a frequency that was shifted to a different level. It's barely noticeable, and Chakotay didn't mention any other problems except for his headache and some slight nausea, so he insisted on resuming his duty. Against my better judgement, I might add." He sounded peeved.

"Well, keep working," Janeway said. "And inform me as soon as you know more."

"Yes, Captain."

Janeway turned to B'Elanna. "So, we still don't know what he wanted in cargo bay two. It could have been completely harmless, you know."

"Ask him," B'Elanna replied with a shrug. "At dinner tonight. You did ask him to have dinner with you, didn't you?"

"Actually, he asked me," Janeway replied uneasily, unable to shake the bad feeling she was getting. "He seemed quite happy when I accepted."

"I bet," B'Elanna mumbled. "When are you meeting him?"

"1900 hours." The captain's voice was quiet. "His quarters. Damn, I wish that Seven wasn't regenerating," she added with a sigh.

"It would be easier if you could speak to her, I suppose." B'Elanna looked at the captain. "Why don't you wake her or whatever it is you do to get her out of her cycle?"

Janeway laughed humorlessly. "Believe me, I've thought about it. But I don't want to wake her just because I want to talk to her, and the doctor was quite adamant about the length of her cycle."

"Captain," B'Elanna began softly. "Do you really think Seven wouldn't prefer to be awake and able to speak to you?"

"I know that she'd rather be awake, B'Elanna," Janeway said with a grin. "She disagreed with the doctor about the regeneration cycle from the beginning. Still—"

B'Elanna interrupted the captain by slapping her combadge. "Torres to sickbay."

"Sickbay here. Go ahead, Lt. Torres." The doctor's voice betrayed his impatience.

"Doctor, if we needed Seven for something would it hurt her to interrupt her cycle?"

"Well, she has only been regenerating since this morning …"

"Which is a lot longer than she normally regenerates, isn't it?" B'Elanna interrupted the EMH.

"Yes, it is. And I suppose if there was an emergency it would be okay to end her cycle but I'd rather you didn't." The EMH didn't sound too happy.

"Thank you, Doctor, that's all I needed to hear. Torres out." B'Elanna grinned at her captain.

Janeway's whole body tingled at the thought of talking to Seven, of hugging her, of wrapping herself around that wonderful warm body for as long as she could before she had to go to that dinner with Chakotay. Close to two hours, she thought. We could do a lot in two hours. She shook herself to get some control back, then grinned at her chief engineer. "You think this counts as an emergency?"

"Absolutely," B'Elanna replied immediately. "I'd say you're in desperate need of –"

"Stop right there, Lieutenant," Janeway said and held up a hand.

Suddenly B'Elanna remembered something. "I'll have to go with you, Captain, at least to get you into the cargo bay."

Janeway sobered. "Is that the little something you required me for?"

B'Elanna nodded. "I added a Borg encryption code to the cargo bay doors this morning, and I'm afraid right now you need me to open the doors."

Janeway smiled at the sudden protectiveness she detected in B'Elanna. "I don't know what made you do it but thank you, B'Elanna," she said.

"Did I mention that Naomi spent the morning watching the cargo bay doors, and that she was the one who called me when Chakotay showed up?" B'Elanna laughed at the expression on Janeway's face.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

The laughter quickly disappeared from B’Elanna's face when she and the captain were faced with an unresponsive cargo bay door five minutes later. No combination of the captain's command codes or the engineer's removal of the Borg encryption code seemed to be able to open the doors.

After fifteen minutes of trial and error Janeway was getting frustrated. "Maybe saying 'Open Sesame' would help," she growled, barely restraining herself from kicking the door.

"At this point I'd say a phaser blast would be more successful," B'Elanna growled back. She was feeling bad, thinking that her addition of the Borg code sequence was responsible for their current situation. "Look, Captain, why don't you head back to the bridge while I try and get the doors to open."

Janeway shot her a force ten glare.

"I mean now that you removed the access restriction I should be able to get the door open without you," B'Elanna quickly continued. "If I can find out what's wrong, that is," she added under her breath.

"Tell me, B'Elanna," Janeway asked in a low voice, "have you ever seen anything like this before?"

B'Elanna was about to reply quickly but then thought about the situation. There was something wrong here … they should have been able to open the doors without any problems instead of getting a constant "Access denied" message from the computer. "I'm not sure what's going on here, Captain," she finally said. "But I'm going to find out. It must be some malfunction in the door mechanism, and I'll make it my top priority to get it to work again."

"Do it," Janeway replied. "Computer, state the time."

"The time is 1748 hours."

"Damn," the captain said with a sigh. "I guess I won't be seeing Seven before dinner with Chakotay then." Which was too bad because the longer she had been standing here, unable to get inside, the more she wanted to be in the cargo bay with her lover.

"I'm going to get the door open, Captain," B'Elanna promised. "You'll have to talk to Seven after your dinner then."

Oh, I'll be doing more than talk to Seven after dinner, much more. Janeway knew herself well enough to know she'd be more than ready to finish the day in Seven's arms instead of her bed alone. She exhaled slowly.

"I guess I'll finish off in my ready room then before I join Chakotay tonight." She barely suppressed the bad feeling that sent shivers down her spine. Something was definitely wrong but she couldn't put her finger on it. "Please keep me updated on your progress, Lieutenant."

With that she turned and walked away, seeing from the corner of her eye that B'Elanna dropped down on her knees to open the panel next to the doors.

See you later, Seven. I hope.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

Janeway spent an hour in her ready room, finishing her report on the rescue mission. Starfleet is going to have a field day with this when we get back, she thought wryly but decided not to leave out too many details. Besides, if I leave out the juicy bits, Chakotay will probably be happy to fill them in for me. She was startled by the thought. Now where did that come from?

The truth was that she knew she was most certainly facing a court martial for a whole number of infractions during her years here in the Delta Quadrant. She was also reasonably sure she'd come out of the proceedings with her head held high. She was in a difficult situation out here, doing her damn best to hold up Starfleet ideals that weren’t made for their situation, and deep down she refused to be held accountable for risky decisions she had to make to get them all home in one piece.

So, what are Starfleet going to say about your crew? The Maquis could face jail time but she would fight for them. Neelix would be all right, she knew, and would proudly serve as some kind of Delta Quadrant ambassador to the Federation. No, the biggest problems were her sentient EMH and Seven. Time to give them a head start.

She picked up a PADD and began a new log entry.

"Captain's log, stardate 52621.4. I have decided to grant the Emergency Medical Hologram the field commission of Lieutenant. He has shown remarkable development here in the Delta Quadrant and exemplary skills and courage, transcending his programming, and achieving sentience. I fully accept his rights as a citizen of the Federation. Computer, log this and send with the next data package to the Federation."

"So logged."

The captain smiled and forwarded her decision to the Doctor, adding just one sentence. "Add two pips to your matrix … and come up with a name, Doc."

Janeway nodded, satisfied with her decision. She sent a message to Chakotay to inform him, then leaned back in her chair and looked at the ceiling. One down, one to go. She wondered if granting Seven a commission as well would help her or hurt her when they got back to Earth. She shook her head, sure that Seven wouldn't even want that. Besides, having an affair with a lieutenant under your command would really make your superiors twitch, Katie. No, she needed another plan. She'd talk it over with Chakotay after dinner, once she had told them about her and Seven. Assuming he would accept their relationship …

Janeway checked the display on her terminal and pushed herself to her feet. She was late for dinner.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

B'Elanna threw a spanner into her toolbox with an expression of disgust on her face. She had been trying for over an hour to open the door to cargo bay two, and so far she had been frustrated at every turn. Everything she tried got only so far before she failed again. She was puzzled and angry, and still something about the way the door controls reacted when she worked on them tickled a distant sense of familiarity in the back of her mind. Familiar enough to know that the locking mechanism had been tampered with.

She slapped her combadge. "Torres to Tuvok."

"Go ahead, Lieutenant."

"Can you come down to cargo bay two and look at something for me?"

There was only a slight hesitation. "I am on my way."

The engineer decided to relax for the time it took Tuvok to come down, and to try and remember why the roadblocks she encountered seemed somehow familiar, and why she couldn't remove them if that were truly the case. It was embarrassing to be unable to open this door, not to mention inconvenient if the captain wanted to see Seven. Or if Seven wanted out.

That's it! B'Elanna growled as it came to her. Of course! Someone was trying to keep Seven locked into the cargo bay. But why? Who would have an interest in that? Quickly, she picked up her engineering tricorder and changed a few parameters before scanning the access panel again. Oh, no … this is not good, she thought when she saw the results of her scan.

Just then Tuvok appeared at her side. "Lieutenant?"

"Hello, Tuvok," B'Elanna said, barely turning around to greet him. "Did the captain fill you in on what's going on here?"

"The captain mentioned that you were unable to unlock the doors despite your joint efforts."

B'Elanna exhaled loudly. "And now I know why." She held the tricorder up for Tuvok to see.

Tuvok studied the display, and B'Elanna could have sworn she saw a small furrow between his brows that looked a lot like concern. "This is a Maquis signature," he pointed out after a few seconds, vaguely remembering the coding from his undercover work several years back. "Why would a Maquis crewman be interested in restricting access to this cargo bay?"

He looked at the doors. "Seven of Nine," came the rational deduction. "Someone is trying to keep her from exiting. Or us from entering."

B'Elanna nodded and got to her feet. "Tuvok, this isn't just a random Maquis signature," she explained quietly. "I've only seen this used once."

Tuvok checked the tricorder again, then nodded once, his face a stony mask.

This time, however, B'Elanna could have sworn she heard him sigh. "What do we do now?"

"We could beam Seven out," Tuvok suggested.

"Not possible," B'Elanna said, shaking her head. "We can't transport her out of a cycle. As long as she's in that alcove, we can't transport her."

"That leaves us with two options," Tuvok calmly stated. "One of us needs to beam inside the cargo bay to get Seven out of her cycle, and then beam back out."

"Or?"

"Or we transport Seven and her alcove somewhere else."

B'Elanna thought for a second. "We should try the first option. Much easier than finding room for that huge alcove somewhere." She looked at Tuvok. "You or me?"

Tuvok merely raised an eyebrow and hit his combadge. "Tuvok to transporter room one. Lock onto Lt. Torres and beam her inside cargo bay two."

Nothing happened.

"What's going on, Ensign?" Torres asked, rapidly nearing the end of her patience.

"I'm not sure," came the disembodied response. "There seems to be some sort of dampening field inside cargo bay two. I can lock onto Lt. Torres but I can't beam her inside."

"Can you get a lock on Seven of Nine?" Torres asked while Tuvok ran another scan on the cargo bay doors.

"Negative, Lieutenant."

B'Elanna shook her head in disgust. "What now?"

Tuvok met her eyes. "Now we will alert Captain Janeway," he said quietly as he slapped his combadge.

Before his hand reached it, however, a call came through.

“Sickbay to Lt. Tuvok.”

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

In sickbay, the doctor was busy studying the readings he had taken from Chakotay. It had helped that three more crewmen had come in, complaining of similar aches and nausea. All of them had no obvious reason for their problems but all of them shared readings that were slightly off the normal spectrum.

The EMH had been busy comparing all the samples, adding new ones as soon as a new crewmember with the same symptoms came in. Finally, he was able to see it. “Oh, no,” he said with a sigh. “Sickbay to Commander Chakotay.”

His only response was a dull chirp. Hmm, curious, he thought. “Sickbay to the captain.”

Another dull chirp. The doctor frowned. “Sickbay to Lt. Tuvok.”

“Yes, doctor?”

“Tuvok, I can’t reach either the captain or Commander Chakotay.” The doctor didn’t wait for a reply before pressing on. “The commander needs to be in sickbay. Now. He and several other crewmen have been infected with a virus that directly affects their brain chemistry.”

"What kind of virus?"

"I don't know," the doctor replied. "I've never seen anything like it before." He paused. "I can't even tell you where it's coming from. There have been no away missions recently, and the bio-filters have not picked up anything from anyone transported recently. I'm currently trying to find something all the patients have in common."