Star Trek Voyager: Frozen

Star Trek Voyager: Frozen (Finale)

Chakotay retreated to his quarters to try and rest but as Seven would have said it proved futile. Still he must have managed to get some sleep for he didn’t call to check on Seven until mid afternoon on the day after the crash. The Doctor told him it would be early evening before Seven would be free from her alcove so reluctantly he left his quarters to do some work. With every passing hour the whispers behind him got louder, Voyager’s rumour mill had kicked into gear. It always irritated him to be a subject of gossip but this time it worried him far more than usual, he knew Seven would be overwhelmed and humiliated by all this innuendo. As he shifted in his chair to ease his still painful shoulder the chorus of voices tellingly ceased. He looked down at the report of the mission he’d been busy writing, only omitting he and Seven’s more intimate moments and then glanced around the bridge, surely he wouldn’t need to make this public just to silence the crews tongues? The shifty expressions that he received told him that he would have to, at least to a certain degree. Unable to stop himself uttering an exasperated sigh he leaned over and tapped the Captain on the shoulder. “Captain, I’ve finished my report and I think it would be sensible to make it public, at least to the senior officers.”

The Captain’s posture relaxed instantly, relief brightening her face. “Yes, I think that’s a good idea. I’m relieved you’re willing, It’s better to have these things out in the open. I’ll call a meeting in the briefing room.” Chakotay nodded assent, sinking back into his chair as he tried to prepare himself for what was likely to be a trial by fire.

He sat near the top of the table as his friends and colleagues filed into the room, picking up a copy of Chakotay’s report as they sat down. “Where’s Seven?” asked Harry, confused that she was nowhere to be seen.

“Regenerating, the Doctor had to operate on one of her implants.” Chakotay replied. Everyone read the report but couldn’t help finding support for their initial assumptions in the fact that Chakotay seemed to be better informed of Seven’s whereabouts than even the Captain.

“So…you weren’t wearing your uniform because it was wet?” asked B’Elanna carefully.

“That’s right. The shuttle crashed into an underground lake, I almost drowned and the wet uniform was speeding up the spread of hypothermia so I took it off.”

This seemed plausible but no one could really let go of such a juicy rumour, particularly not Tom Paris who unlike most of the others had actually seen evidence. “Why were you…” he cleared his throat somewhat suggestively, “…cuddled up like that with Seven?”

“Seven said it would preserve our body heat and keep us alive for longer.”

B’Elanna almost snorted; no woman would cling to Chakotay like that without ulterior motives, even Seven. Chakotay was too handsome for that. Thankfully the ever reliable Tuvok threw Chakotay a lifeline. “A logical course of action in such circumstances.”

That predictably silenced everyone, maybe nothing had happened. Awkwardly the conversation moved on to Hendricks’ funeral and what they were going to do now about the deuterium shortage. Chakotay barely listened, so relieved was he that he had missed the bullet; he didn’t even notice that everyone else had left until the Captain spoke to him across the empty room. “Chakotay, I think you rather me should write the eulogy for the funeral tomorrow since you were the last with him.” She couldn’t stop a smirk coming with her next words, “Get Seven to help you, since you said she took his death so hard.”

Chakotay swallowed, “I’ll talk to her Captain.” Janeway gave a small laugh at the turns life could take as she left. Whatever she is she’s not a fool, thought Chakotay as he left to wait for Seven in his quarters.

Seven stepped out of her alcove to the familiar sound of “Regeneration cycle is complete.” It was 2000 hours. Her stomach flipped over at the knowledge, how could she have regenerated for so long after such emotional turmoil? Nerves began their malignant gnawing at her insides, what was she going to do, just go up to him and inform him of her feelings? Well she’d already shown him her feelings but what if he had interpreted that as lust? She knew from research that being close to death increased a human’s sex drive substantially. No…this had been different, although she admitted to herself that if they had been without injury they would have probably gone far beyond kissing…A bright blush diffusing her features stopped these thoughts in their tracks. Perhaps she should just leave such events in the past where they belonged, but the Doctor had told her the Commander wanted to see her, in his quarters of all places. She would have to confront her fears sooner than she wanted to.