"Hey, Baby! What's happening?"

Captain Janeway stared at the image on the main view screen. The alien with the solemn, almost haughty, expression could not have uttered what she just heard, could he? She punched out a few commands and learned that the translator was functioning properly, or in this case, it was sending through the alien's words without any change.

"My compliments on your knowledge of our language. I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager. At the moment, nothing is happening."

"Cool, Baby. Call me Bugs. Who's the man?"

Captain Janeway glanced at 'the man' and saw him struggling to control his expression.

"This is my first officer Commander Chakotay."

"I dig that tattoo, man. It's really groovy."

Chakotay nodded at what he believed to be a compliment.

"How may we help you?" Captain Janeway inquired.

"It's, like, you're approaching our space and it's, like, my job to make sure you're cool. Get it?"

"We'll be happy to provide you with any information you require." The captain was still having trouble linking the alien with the words. She saw his mouth move and heard the words but the somber expression on the gaunt gray face just did not match the lightness of the words and voice. His expression never changed.

"Groovy. I'll make up a list of stuff I need to know."

"If you don't mind my asking, how did you learn our language?"

"I'm easy, Baby. I've been monitoring your transmissions for the last couple of days." The alien shifted slightly as he spoke. "Well, catch you later, Baby."

The screen went abruptly blank before it shifted back to the local star field. 

"Talk about finding a new life form." 

The mumbled words from the helm could be heard by everyone. The bridge was silent for a full ten seconds before the chuckles started. In another ten seconds, half the bridge crew was laughing including the first officer. A glare did little except encourage him to look away as he returned to his chair.

"Ensign Kim, where was he transmitting from?" Captain Janeway was the only one taking the alien seriously.

"I'm working on that now, Captain."

"Mr. Paris, maintain course."

"Aye, maintaining course."

Slowly, the captain worked her way around the bridge bringing everyone's attention back to his or her duties. Her last problem was grinning in the next chair still unable to speak.

"You're with me, Commander. Tuvok, you have the bridge."

The captain stood and practically stalked to her ready room with Chakotay behind her. As the door slid shut behind them, he started laughing again.

"What do you find so amusing?"

"Nothing," Chakotay grinned at her, "Baby."

That was the straw. The captain lost the battle and Kathryn started laughing. "Damn it, Chakotay. How am I supposed to maintain discipline on the bridge with you sitting there laughing?"

"You did just fine. Did you notice that Tuvok's eyebrow was twitching?"

"It was?"

"You mean you didn’t notice?" Chakotay's comment earned him a glare but nothing more as Kathryn moved to the replicator.

"Tea or coffee?"

"Tea, please." Chakotay moved to the chair near her desk and waited until she sat down.

Kathryn sipped her coffee. "Did anything Bugs said catch your attention?"

"You mean other than Bugs getting away with calling you 'Baby'?" Chakotay teased but she just stared at him. "Actually, yes. He mentioned our transmissions."

"Exactly. How long has it been since we've made contact with any group?"

"Close to five weeks, I think. I can check the exact date if you want."

"No, that's about what I thought. What I would like you to check is when we sent any transmission that could have been the basis for his style of speech."

"I'll check them all, Kathryn, but I'll be honest. I don't expect to find anything."

Kathryn sighed. He was echoing her own opinions. "No, you're right. It's like walking into a bad holonovel written by Tom Paris."

Tom Paris. Twentieth century. Transmissions.

"Mr. Paris, please come to the Ready Room immediately." Kathryn didn’t even ask if Chakotay agreed.

"Aye, Captain."

The door slid open as Tom Paris entered. "You wanted to see me, Captain."

"Yes, please sit down." The captain motioned to the chair Chakotay has just vacated. "What was your assessment of Bugs, Lieutenant?"

"He seemed like a really cool dude, Captain." The attempt at humor failed. "Sorry, Captain. Actually, he sounded just like the hippies from the mid-twentieth century."

"Or like someone you'd put in a holoprogram?" Chakotay asked.

"I wish I'd thought of him." Paris started to respond then realized where the conversation might be headed. "Oh, no, ma'am. I haven't written any holonovels from the twentieth century for months. I haven't even run any of them lately. And I definitely have not transmitted any of them anywhere."

"Maybe not, Lieutenant, but have you been watching your television lately? Or playing music in your quarters?"

"Yesterday. B'Elanna and I watched 1960's sitcoms and variety shows for seven or eight hours."

"Seven or eight hours?" The captain's voice was incredulous.

"Well, we weren’t exactly… the television was on that long." Paris glanced at his commanding officers defensively. "Hey, it was the first day we've both had off in a long time."

"How exactly do you get the images on the television from our computer files?"

"Well, B'Elanna made the TV exactly like the ones in the twentieth century so we have to transmit a signal to it. She built a very small transmitter in my quarters that converts the files to a frequency the television picks up."

The captain glanced at Chakotay to see what he thought. His slight nod confirmed his agreement that this was the most likely source of the 'transmissions' mentioned by Bugs.

"Get copies of all those shows to Commander Chakotay – on files suitable for his monitor – before you return to your station. "

"Yes, Captain."

"That will be all, Lieutenant. Dismissed."

After the door closed behind Paris, Chakotay spoke. "You want me to watch all those old television shows?"

"I want you to make sure there is nothing in them that could cause us problems."

"As you wish." Chakotay took a deep breath as he considered his assignment. "With your permission, I'll take an early lunch and spend the afternoon reviewing the 'transmissions' in my office. I might be able to give you a summary before the end of the day."

Kathryn nodded and stood. "I'll see if I can figure out how those 'transmissions' were detected. Mind a little company at lunch?"

"It would be my pleasure." Chakotay smiled as Kathryn led him to the rear exit of the Ready Room.

"Not going to tell Tuvok where you're going?"

"He'll find me if he needs me." Kathryn smiled ruefully. "He always does."

Twenty minutes later, the captain of Voyager was savoring her first mouthful of chocolate pecan pie while an amused first officer watched. She eyed him, silently warning him to make no comments. His dimples deepened, if that were possible, and she had to smile around her fork as she took a second bite.

"Captain to the bridge."

The expression on the captain's face made Chakotay laugh. He slapped his combadge as he stood. "We're on our way."

Somehow, the captain managed to get most of the remaining pie in her mouth as she stood. They were in the corridor before she could speak. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To the bridge." Chakotay glanced over at the captain as they waited for a turbolift. "Where did you think I was going?"

"He didn't call you to the bridge."

"I already told him 'we' were coming. Would you like to explain to your chief helmsman that you had your mouth too full of pie to answer?"

"I don't have to explain anything to anyone. I'm the captain."

"Fine. I'll go to my office to start my review of those transmissions and you can let Tom speculate what we were doing when Tuvok summoned you and why I didn't show up." Chakotay stepped onto the lift. "Deck Two."

"Belay that command. Bridge." The captain's stare dared her first officer to comment further. He merely nodded his head and concentrated on keeping a smile off his face. Halfway to the bridge, the captain sighed and smiled slightly. "We've been together so many years yet I keep forgetting you know what I'm going to say before I say it."

"I'll try to let you issue your orders before I carry them out in the future."

"I'd appreciate that."

"Anything to make our captain feel useful." Chakotay managed to get in one last teasing comment before the doors opened onto the bridge.

The command team stepped off the turbolift clearly in a good mood but all business.

"Report, Commander Tuvok."

Tuvok stood and stepped aside as the captain approached her chair. "Mr. Bugs has requested to speak to the 'skipper'. He insisted on waiting while you returned to the bridge."

"Thank you, Commander." The captain sat down and turned her attention to the view screen where a narrow, gray skinned face waited.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Bugs."

"No sweat, Baby. I'm cool." Bugs' appearance was as solemn and dignified as before. "Hey, man, I have that list I was talking about. It's kinda long. Think you can handle it?"

"I'm sure we can."

"Cool, man, cool. I'll just, like, send it over."

The captain glanced at Ops and Ensign Kim nodded to indicate that he had received the file.

"I'll go over your request and start collecting the information."

"Keen. I'll get back to you in a while." Bugs' departure was just as abrupt as before.

The captain sighed in exasperation. That short exchange had been a waste of a perfectly good piece of chocolate pecan pie. Before she could comment, Lieutenant Paris returned to the bridge. 

"I sent the commander all the files, Captain. Let me know if you have any problems with them."

"Resume your post, Lieutenant. Commander, get started on those files while I go over this list." Chakotay nodded as the captain spoke. "Ensign Kim, Commander Tuvok, we'll meet at 14:00 hours. I want to know more about this Bugs."

A chorus of "aye's" echoed across the bridge as the captain moved toward her ready room. After the door closed behind her, Chakotay headed toward the turbolift. "You have the bridge, Tuvok."

"Commander Tuvok, what have you learned about Bugs and his technology?"

"Very little." Tuvok was unexpectedly uninformative. "The signal he uses to communicate with us originates almost directly ahead of our present course at least fifty light years from our current location. It shows no sign of degradation. There is no indication of a planet or any star system in that location. There could be a ship there, but if so we are unable to detect it."

"Fifty light years with no degradation?"

"That is correct. The signal is at least ten times more powerful than any that could be generated using Federation technology and almost one hundred times as powerful as our signal. Our signal should not be reaching him, wherever he is."

"Anything more you can tell us?" The captain sounded a bit concerned. What had seemed to be a comical character now appeared to be only the tip of a very powerful iceberg.

"Nothing specific, Captain. However, if his weapons and transportation capabilities are as advanced as his communications, then he could 'crush us like a fly,' as Mr. Paris would say."

"Not the most encouraging report I've ever received from you, Commander."

"No, Captain, it is not."

"Is there any way Bugs could have picked up the transmissions for Lieutenant Paris's television?"

"Based on what little we know of his capabilities, I would say it is likely he could have."

"Moving on then, I've gone over Bugs's list. I think we're going to need Mr. Paris's help to know exactly what we have been asked to provide."

Chakotay nodded and slapped his combadge. "Lieutenant Paris to the briefing room."

A few minutes later, Tom Paris entered the briefing room looking extremely nervous. "Yes, sir?"

"Sit down, Lieutenant. I need your input."

The nervous helmsman sat down and relaxed slightly.

"Bugs's list isn't that long, but I am at a loss to understand most of it." The captain held up a padd with the list. "I'll read it to you.
 

The captain looked around the table trying to read the faces. All she saw was confusion.

"Commander, you’ve had the opportunity to study those files. Does any of that make sense?"

"Some of the names are the same as two of the television programs but the rest don't tie in with what I've seen so far."

"That's a start at least." The captain turned to Tom Paris. "Tom, can you make any sense of the questions?"

"Well, the first three go with the names Ginger and Maryann."

"How do you figure that, Paris?" Chakotay asked. "That was all about people living on an island out of touch with others."

"The words to the song at the beginning mention a tropic port, a fateful trip and a storm."

"Continue." The captain prompted not at all certain that she wanted more information.

"Well, I don't know why it's on the list but the 'sky of blue and sea of green' are clearly references to Earth. We can put up a selection of scenes in a holodeck for him." Tom thought a few seconds before continuing. "Marcia and Jan are from another show but I don't think they have anything to do with any of the other questions."

"Why did they ask about Doctor Fitzgerald?"

"I don't think he's the doctor they meant. I think that question, the one about 'adventure' and Vicky and Isaac are from another show. Or it could go with the frontier question." Paris continued to think over the list, shaking his head slowly. "George, Ed, and Paul just don't make any sense to me. I guess the weather might relate to the sky and sea photographs but why he would want to see only images from that show, I don’t know. I can't figure out how this band is connected to anything else either. As for our reflective spectrum, well, forget that."

"It's strange, too, Captain," Chakotay spoke up, "most of the references to Earth's oceans are to 'blue' seas, not 'green'."

"Good point, Commander." The captain turned to Paris. "Any ideas on that, Lieutenant?"

Tom shook his head regretfully. "No. Most of the other questions seem to be from the lyrics to the themes but not that one. I'm certain there is no mention of a 'sea of green' in any of them."

The captain considered the implications for a few seconds before moving on. "Ensign, will we be able to establish a channel with Bugs when we're ready?"

"I think so. There haven't been any problems with maintaining the channel so far."

"Good. Tuvok, continue your analysis of his technology. Chakotay, go back through those programs and find out where that 'sea of green' and a 'band' is mentioned."

The captain paused as she turned to Tom Paris. "Well, I never thought I'd be saying this, Lieutenant, but get some good images from those two programs and create a holoprogram to share with Bugs. Pull up a variety of sea and sky images as well. As soon as you're ready, we'll invite him on board." The captain sighed and looked around the table. "That is, unless anyone else has another suggestion?"

She looked slowly around the table but saw only negative head movements. "All right, people. Dismissed."

"Open a channel to Bugs, Ensign." The captain issued the order as she prepared herself for another conversation.

Bugs appeared on the screen, his continence as stoic as ever. "Hey, Baby! What's happening?"

"We've assembled most of the information you requested. I suggest you join us here and we can share it with you."

"Cool, man, cool. Like, when?"

"At your convenience."

"I can dig that! Be there in a few."

The captain was glad she was sitting down as Bugs again abruptly disappeared from the main screen. Not surprising, many of the bridge crew were again struggling to control laughter.

"Captain, a ship is approaching at warp 20." Tuvok's voice overpowered the muffled giggles.

"Weapons?"

"It has sufficient fire power to take on at least fifteen galaxy class starships without a problem." The ship appeared on the main screen as Tuvok answered. The giggles stopped immediately as everyone realized the size of the sphere approaching them.

"How big is that thing?" Chakotay demanded of Tuvok

"It's 6.87 kilometers in diameter." Tuvok continued as if describing a shuttlecraft. "Its systems are not based on any known technology but there are indications that it might be drawing power from a quantum singularity. I can't be more specific. It carries antimatter torpedoes and has a few arrays similar to our phasers. Its remaining weapons are unlike any we've encountered."

"Ensign, how many people are on board?"

"I only detect one life sign, Captain." Harry Kim managed to get out that much information. "They have many shielded areas though so there could be more."

The captain looked at her first officer. Only one person on a ship that size? If they had harbored any doubts about taking Bugs seriously before, they had evaporated.

"We're being hailed, Captain." Ensign Kim interrupted the mute communication between the command team.

"Open a channel, Ensign." The captain stood and moved a step toward the helm.

Bugs dour demeanor appeared once again. "Hey, Baby! Ready to rock and roll?"

The captain had no idea what Bugs meant but she saw Tom Paris looking over his shoulder nodding his head at her.

"Yes. Do you have means to join us?"

"Well, I'd, like, ask you to bring your ship into mine but I don't think the Elf behind you would be cool with that. I'll drop in on you."

The captain was distracted by her helmsman's coughing fit and took a minute to answer. "Of course. That would suit us perfectly."

"Now cool, Baby?"

"Yes, it is."

The captain barely got the words out before she was staring face to face, or face to belt buckle, with Bugs. Slowly she tilted her head up to look at him. He was nearly 2.5 meters tall and thin to the point she would almost call spindly. His face was long but not overly thin; his skin a light gray with a brown mottling to it, almost like freckles. His dark brown eyes stared back at her.

"Hey, Baby! Give me five!" Bugs held out a three-fingered hand above the captain's head.

The captain looked helplessly around Bugs and saw Paris mouthing, "Slap his hand." Hesitantly, she reached up and slapped the extended hand lightly.

Bugs lowered his hand and moved toward Chakotay. "Hey, Tattoo Man, what's happening?"

Chakotay was prepared for the extended hand and slapped it firmly. "Not much. What's happening with you?"

"I was beginning to wonder when you dudes were going to ask me that." Bugs looked around the bridge. "Got any place more comfortable where we can hang out and talk?"

"Perhaps my ready room would be adequate. Shall we, gentlemen?" The captain had finally found her voice.

"Lead the way, Baby." Bugs agreement was immediate. As the captain led the way to her ready room, he commented to Chakotay. "She's hot, Tattoo Man."

"She has that effect on some people when they beam onto her bridge."

Only the image of the ship on the main screen kept the bridge from erupting in giggles as the door closed behind the trio.

The captain continued walking to her replicator to allow the blush to fade from her face. She motioned Chakotay to take Bugs to the couch. "Could I offer you something to eat or drink, Bugs?"

"How about a milkshake? I heard about them in your transmissions."

The captain carried the tray with the beverages to the table by the couch before sitting down next to Bugs. She handed him the milkshake. "I hope you enjoy this."

Bugs studied the straw in the thick drink for a minute.

"You drink it through the straw." Chakotay offered.

Bugs took a long drink and sat reflecting on the taste and texture. "Now that's really cool. Can I have the recipe?"

"Of course." The captain turned to the business at hand. "I believe you were going to explain to us 'what's happening'."

"Sure thing, Baby." Bugs took another drink of his milkshake. "It's like this. You're in our space, man, and it's, like, my job to make sure no unfriendly types bother us. If you check out, you get to continue. If you don't, well, it would be a real bummer. I don't get my kicks from destroying ships."

"We had no idea we were intruding on your space." The captain assured him. "We'll be happy to go around your territory. Just tell us the limits."

"No sweat, Baby. It's cool, it's cool… for now." Bugs took another drink. "So, you all live a life of ease?"

"Not exactly ease, but we all have what we need." Chakotay offered.

Bugs studied his milkshake as he realized it was almost gone.

"Let me get you another." The captain was on the way to the replicator as she spoke.

Bugs finished the milkshake and turned to Chakotay. "Is she a lovely lady?"

"Oh, yes. I would definitely say she was a lovely lady."

The captain returned and handed Bugs a new glass. "I made this one chocolate."

Bugs took a long drink. "How many different ones are there?"

"I have no idea but we'll be glad to share all the recipes with you."

"Cool, Baby. Now, tell me, did you come here on the waves?"

The captain was surprised to hear any mention of the Caretaker's displacement wave. "That's one way of putting it, yes."

Bugs took a long drink of the chocolate milkshake, so long that it was in danger of disappearing in the next gulp. Chakotay stood and moved to get another, larger one, for him.

"Hey, Baby, what's a mate?"

"A mate?" The questions seemed unrelated but she was determined to answer them if possible. "A mate is a life partner, your friend, someone you love, the other parent to your children if you have them."

"Ahhh," Bugs' comment could have been at the captain's explanation or directed to the larger glass offered by Chakotay. "What's this one?"

"It's peanut butter banana."

A long drink later, Bugs sat back. The acerbic expression on his long gray face hadn't changed since he arrived. "I dig that one, too. Thanks, man!"

Bugs glanced around the room as he continued drinking his milkshake. His eyes kept returning to the walls – the blank portions. Finally, he turned to the captain. "Baby, I just don't get it. Why did you change your reflective spectrum? That's really bugging me."

"Perhaps we should get started on your list?" The captain jumped to change the subject to the things she could explain to Bugs.

"Groovy."

"Lieutenant Paris to the ready room." The captain called her expert to join them.

"You wanted to see me, Captain." Paris was all business as he entered.

"Lieutenant, could you take Bugs to the holodeck and get started on the presentation we have for him? Answer his questions to the best of your ability. I will join you shortly."

"It would be my pleasure. Sir, if you'll come with me."

"Cool, man. Got any milkshakes where we're going?"

Tom Paris was unprepared for the request but managed to answer after only one bumbling attempt. "Milkshakes? Yes, I can arrange that if you wish." He let out his breath as he saw the captain nodding her approval of his response.

Bugs was busy finishing his peanut butter banana milkshake as they left the ready room. After the door closed, the captain turned to Chakotay.

"You and Tom have to figure out what he's talking about. That reflective spectrum makes no sense."

"It would help if we knew what it was supposed to look like. There is nothing in the files Paris sent me that even mentions the spectrum."

"Go back over those files. Make sure you didn't miss anything. I'm going to join Bugs and Paris to see if I can get any more details about the spectrum."

"Aye, Captain."

Bugs had learned to slurp the last of a milkshake out of a glass with a straw quite well. Tom had to suppress a smile. As they stepped off the turbolift and walked toward the holodeck he reached out and took the empty glass and passed it off to an unsuspecting crewman in the corridor. "We'll get you another one in the holodeck."

"Groovy, man." 

"Are Tattoo Man and Baby friends?"

"They are very good friends."

"And your friends are all on board?"

"Well, pretty much everyone on board is my friend, so yes, I suppose they are." Tom was puzzled by the questions.

"They all live next door to you?"

This time Tom laughed. "No, there isn't room 'next door'. But my best friend's quarters are just down the hall and just about everyone else is nearby. Like I said, this is a small ship."

"You are the helmsman?"

"That's right."

"Then you set the course for the ship?"

"Yes."

"And you look for adventure?"

"I do, yes. I'm not sure everyone else does all the time."

"And you keep an eye out for a new romance?"

"Well, I wouldn't call B'Elanna a 'new' romance anymore. She and I are pretty happy together so I only keep my eye on her now."

They reached the holodeck door. Bugs watched with interest as Tom called up the program. "Your technology is more advanced than I thought. I dig your use of it here."

"I think you'll like it. This way." Tom led the way onto the holodeck. The program started with simple ocean vistas.

Bugs was enthralled by the first one but by the fourth was getting impatient. "Man, I don't see your seas of green. All you've shown me are blue seas."

Tom immediately jumped the program ahead to the few vistas where the sea appeared to be green.

"Well, maybe this next part will be better."

"Tell me, is Tattoo Man the first mate?" Bugs turned his head almost 270° to study the latest vista as he changed the subject yet again.

"Well, we usually call him the first officer but yes, that's another term for his position. It was used back on Earth when our ships sailed the seas and not the stars."

Bugs was satisfied to an extent. "Man, those are green but I'm seriously bummed. I thought your seas would be a wonderful bright green like your sky is blue. I was really looking forward to seeing that."

"Does Baby have a Second Mate?"

"No, not on Voyager. We're a small ship so Captain Baby only has one."

"How's it going, Lieutenant?" 

Tom turned to see a fiery-eyed captain approaching. "Fairly well, Captain. I was just getting ready to explain to Bugs about the people he wanted to meet."

"Then please proceed."

Six hours later, a very weary Tom Paris finished gulping down a hasty meal before returning to the bridge. Bugs had been satisfied with all the information he had been provided. The only open issue was the reflective spectrum. He downed the last of his drink as he crossed the room to drop his tray off. He turned to leave but nearly fell over as he ran into Neelix.

"I'm sorry, Tom. I just wanted to thank you for sharing that music with me a few weeks ago. I've really enjoyed it. I even watched some of those television shows on the holodeck with the singing insects."

Something clicked in Tom's mind but he wasn't sure exactly what. "Insects?"

"The one singing group. The gnats, flies, bees, something like that. I don't understand why they wanted to be called some kind of insect."

Something clicked in Tom's mind but this time he knew what it was. "You were watching television on the holodeck?"

"I hope that was all right. I didn't mean…"

"You were watching Ed Sullivan?" Tom interrupted the confused Talaxian.

"Yes, how did you know. I'm sorry…"

"You did it, Neelix. I know what Bugs means. Thanks!"

Tom stepped around the shorter man and rushed toward the bridge.

"Man, Baby, I'm so bummed by this. I really like you. I wanted to hear your band but that's not too heavy. But your reflective spectrum is a real problem."

"If you'll just give us more time, I'm sure we can explain it to your satisfaction."

Tom rushed onto the bridge and to the captain's side gasping. "I know what he means, Captain."

"Could you give me a minute, Bugs?"

"Sure thing, Baby."

The captain turned to her chief helmsman. "What?"

"It would take too long to explain. Make us look yellow."

"Yellow?" The captain asked in confusion as she nodded to Ops to carry out the request.

"Yes, yellow. Bright yellow, like a sunflower."

Tom moved toward the helm. "I'll pull up the band Bugs wants to hear."

A few seconds later, music started echoing in the bridge.

"That's the band I wanted to hear! I think they've groovy." Bugs studied something off to his left as the song finished playing. "Groovy, Baby. Your reflective spectrum is cool. Why did you have it adjusted wrong?"

"Captain?" Paris was asking permission to answer. The captain nodded. "Bugs, we've met a few people who don't think that's a groovy color. We changed it to avoid problems."

"You'll have to leave it as it is while you cross our space."

"Of course, Bugs." The captain was quick to agree. "Now, have we answered your questions satisfactorily?" 

"There's something else I expected to see but didn’t."

"I thought we covered everything on your list."

"This wasn’t on the list. I thought it would be apparent without asking."

"What was it?" The captain was almost afraid to ask in case there were more puzzling references to decrypt. "I'm a scientist, not a psychic," ran through her mind as she waited for a response.

"Hey, man, in your transmissions, folks were a lot more friendly."

"I don't understand. Have we offended you in some way? If we have, I assure you, we meant no offense."

"Chill out, Baby. You treated me fine. But I expected you and Tattoo Man there to be friendlier to each other."

"I'm sorry. I don't understand." The captain was perplexed.

"He's your first mate, right? You don't treat him like your mate, Baby. Some of your transmissions were quite reassuring. My people value the relationship between mates. I had hoped to see a more personal demonstration from you, Baby."

The captain was dumbfounded. She had no idea what Bugs meant. She glanced helplessly at the back of Tom Paris's head. She needed an explanation. Suddenly she was aware of her first officer at her side.

"With your permission, Captain?" His warm voice reassured her only slightly as she nodded her consent. Chakotay turned his attention to Bugs. "I believe I can explain. This ship is not the same as the one you viewed. On that ship, personal expressions are considered appropriate. However, on Voyager, we are encouraged to be more… conservative, if you will. I assure you, we value those relationships as much as you do."

"Well, Tattoo Man, I was still hoping for a demonstration. Would you mind, Man?"

The captain was surprised to feel Chakotay's hand turning her to face him and then reaching behind her to pull her against his chest. "It would be my pleasure, Bugs."

The captain saw Chakotay's head slowly approaching her neck. She heard him whisper in her ear. "Just play along. I know what he means. Putting your hands on my arms now would be a good idea."

The captain nervously slid her hands to the top of Chakotay's arms as his lips touched hers ever so tentatively. She clutched at him involuntarily and he pulled her closer. The kiss seemed to drag out for hours but ended all too soon as Chakotay straightened and turned to face the view screen. The captain was glad for the arm around her back as she struggled to deal with the situation.

"Was that adequate, Bugs?" Chakotay inquired.

"Why does Baby look funny?"

"She always looks like that when I kiss her." Chakotay hoped the captain would forgive him.

"Cool, man. Would you play that band again for me?"

Chakotay nodded to Ensign Kim to start the music.

"Groovy. Ok, Baby, you can cross our space, but I'm going to come visit you once in a while. I really dig your milkshakes!"

The captain turned to her first officer. "Commander, I believe you have some explaining to do. My ready room, now!"

As the door closed behind them, Tom Paris made one last comment. "I thought Bugs took Voyager to be a yellow submarine, but it turns out he thinks we're the Love Boat."

Just before the main screen went blank, Bugs got the last word. "Th…th…th..that's all, folks!"