Chakotay entered the nursery just in time to see RT blow out all six candles on his birthday cake. RT was flanked by his two best friends, Carrie and Taylor.  The two girls led the cheers following his successful effort.  Jem followed their lead half-heartedly. The younger children were quick to follow suit.  For a moment Chakotay recalled the children from the Cardassian camps who were on Voyager when he first came aboard.  He often wondered how those children had fared over the years.  He remembered all the times he had wished he could give his children more than life on a ship forever traveling among the stars.  Tonight, the memories of Voyager’s first children and the image of her current children laughing around a friend combined to show him everything that Voyager was able to give her children.    Voyager had even provided her first children with security and safety and a promise of friends and laughter.  It might not be the way Chakotay would have chosen but his children had loving parents, a secure home and lots of friends and laughter.  It was than enough and more than many children elsewhere had.

Chakotay started to move towards Kathryn, hoping to blend in with the other adults before the children noticed him.  He saw her glance toward the far end of the room where a group of cradles held Voyager’s youngest passengers, including their two-month old boys, Chad and Cody.  Although the boys shared their sisters’ hair and eye color, they shared no other physical traits with the girls.  Both seemed to be miniatures of their father.  Only time would tell whether they had inherited his patience and calm demeanor as well.  Chakotay had just started to cross the room when Jem saw him.

“Captain!”  Jem raced across the floor followed by Kay and the other children.

“Daddy!”  “Captain!”  “Cap’n!”  Out of the throng of shouting children, Kay launched herself head first into the air, confident her father would catch her.  The rest nearly knocked Chakotay off his feet as they grabbed his legs and reached for his arms.

“Children!”  The word echoed almost as if only one had spoken as Kathryn and B'Elanna called the children off Chakotay.  RT piped up over the ensuing silence.

“That was just like when I got my name!  Captain, will you tell us the story of my name?  Please!”

“Yes!  Tell us the story!”  The children echoed RT’s request.  Any story the captain would tell was a treat because they seldom saw him and he always told the best stories.  Chakotay glanced at the party organizers.  Several brief nods or smiles gave him permission to disrupt the plans.  The children were already tugging Chakotay’s one free arm to lead him to their story corner.  Kay wriggled out of his arms and ran ahead to pull Chakotay's favorite cushions into place.  Once he was seated, she crawled onto his lap and used him as her cushion.  Watching her, Kathryn made a note to spend more time with both girls, neither of whom had completely adjusted to sharing their parents with their brothers.

“RT!  Come over here.  You should sit in front since it’s your story and your birthday.”  Taylor and Carrie raced their friend for the coveted space right in front of the captain.

“We’re ready now, sir!”

“OK.  I have a couple of questions.  Does anyone here ever disobey Lieutenant Torres?”

“No!”  “No way!”  “Never!”  “Huh-uh.”  “No, sir!”

“Good.  Does anyone argue with Captain Kathryn?”

“Oh, no!”  “No, never!”  “Not even Lieutenant Torres argues with her!”  The chorus was the same for both questions.

“Not even Commander Paris?”

“That’s right!  He listens, too.”

“Do you all remember when Captain Kathryn was the captain and I was the first officer?”

“Yes.”  One word echoed from all the children.

“Did I listen to her?”

“Oh, yes.”  “You still do, Daddy.”  Chakotay considered briefly that his six-year-old daughter had not inherited his natural discretion and wished she had.  Returning his attention to the group in front of him, Chakotay began the story.

“OK.  Well, Captain Kathryn was still captain and RT was about two years old when this story happened.  Back then, we called RT “Robert” because his name is Robert Thomas.  Captain Kathryn had been discussing something with Lieutenant Torres in engineering all afternoon.  I was down in engineering with the doctor to consult with Lieutenant Torres about a change in his program when Commander Paris came in with Robert to say good night to Lieutenant Torres.  Well, Robert, being his usual impulsive self, raced across engineering and nearly knocked Captain Kathryn off her feet.  At the very same time, Captain Kathryn and Lieutenant Torres both shouted, “ROBERT!”

“What?”

“What’d I do now?”

“What!”

“The commander, the doctor and I all asked at the same time.  Then the three of us looked at each other and broke out laughing.”  The children were laughing themselves silly at this point.  Chakotay still didn’t understand why they thought this story was funny, but they enjoyed it.  He waited a few moments for the giggles to subside before continuing.

“That was the day we decided Voyager did not need another Robert confusing the senior officers.  Lieutenant Torres and Commander Paris decided to use Robert’s initials, and that’s how RT got his name.  The end.”

“I like that story.”   “Why did you three laugh?”  “Tell us another story!”

“I think Lieutenant Torres has something she wants to ask you first.” Chakotay directed the children’s attention across the room.

“Who wants ice cream with their cake?”

“I do!”  “Me!”  “I do, I do!”  Chakotay and his stories lost out to the ice cream and cake. Kathryn came over and settled next to Chakotay.  As he circled her shoulders with his arm, he commented.

“To this day, I don’t know why I answered you and B'Elanna or why I laughed later.  I wonder if I’ll ever figure it out.”  Kathryn snuggled closer as they took advantage of a few moments with no ship and no children demanding their attention.

“It doesn’t matter as long as the children enjoy the story and you three don’t forget who really runs this ship.”  Chakotay chuckled at Kathryn’s comment and then kissed her forehead before climbing to his feet and pulling her up beside him.

“Come on, Captain Kathryn.  We have a birthday boy to congratulate.”