Star Trek Voyager: The Loving Game

Star Trek Voyager: The Loving Game (Chapter 60)

A/n: 60 chapters! Thanks for the support everyone! :D

“I congratulate all of you on an excellent First Contact, the Dregi Trade Ambassador and his associates were very impressed with our hospitality and have agreed to open up their entire trade network to us.” Janeway flashed her senior officers, all assembled with her in the Briefing Room, a triumphant smile.

The news sank in for a moment before Tom gave a dramatic sigh of relief. “Finally! My mouth was getting dry from all the ass kissing we had to do to get them to even step on board!”

His colleagues all chuckled knowingly at the biting accuracy of the pilot’s comment, all except Tuvok, who shot him a mildly disapproving glance for his colourful wording even as he nodded stoically in agreement, and Seven, who raised a single eyebrow as she looked up from the trade manifest. “Well, all the “ass kissing” as you put it Lieutenant, seems to have paid dividends. The Dregi have provided us with enough deuterium and dilithium to last us at least six months.”

B’Elanna gave a slightly derisive snort, “Provided, paid for in tears of tedium more like! I’ve never had to explain the bio gel pack system so completely and so often in my life!”

“The Dregi are a thorough people Lieutenant.” Tuvok pointed out.

“Thoroughly boring!” Tom piped up laughingly.

“Let’s look on the bright side, at least now we have enough power to light the Mess Hall for Chakotay and Seven’s wedding, it was starting to look like they might need to get married by torchlight!” Harry said cheerily, grinning at the soon to be married couple.

“Now, I think we could’ve stretched to replicating a few candles.” The Captain responded lightly as she stood up the table and headed back towards the Bridge. Within a few minutes they had all dispersed, after more than a few friendly probing questions about the wedding which left Seven feeling exasperated as she walked hand in hand with Chakotay towards the turbolift.

“Perhaps we should have followed Lieutenants Paris and Torres’ example and eloped.” She muttered with more tired grumpiness than she had intended to reveal.

“They’re just happy for us, and maybe a little nosey.” Chakotay soothed calmly before frowning as he read her still unsettled expression. “You don’t really mean that do you?”

Seven sighed and gave him an apologetic smile. “No, I am proud and happy to be marrying you; it’s just that some of the irrational activities and traditions people are insisting upon are confusing to me.”

Chakotay looked at her in bemusement, what could be confusing about a ceremony and a dinner? “What sort of activities and traditions?” he asked apprehensively.

Seven took a deep breath, “Well firstly, I keep being asked where we’re going to stay the night before, apparently we have to stay apart…”

“Yes, it’s considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony on the wedding day.” Chakotay explained.

Seven’s brow furrowed even deeper in perplexity. “But we have been living together for over a year, surely that negates the bad luck, if there even were such a thing.”

Chakotay had to crack a smile as he saw it from her perspective, it did seem a little irrational, but he had enough lingering superstition in him to try to calm her over it. “Listen, you don’t really want to see me while you’re preparing do you? I’d just like my first sight of you that day to be when you’re walking down the aisle to me.”

Seven’s face softened. “You could stay in my old quarters, and then you’ll be close if Celeste needs you.” He nodded in agreement and relaxed slightly before beginning again, “There’s also all the things we have to toss that apparently predict others’ marital futures…”