by Dakota

"I need your help."

The words surprised Chakotay. It wasn't often he heard his friend admit she needed help, much less ask for it.

"Sit down. What kind of help do you need?"

"I'm not sure exactly." B'Elanna's eyes met his briefly then turned downward as she stood. "Never mind. This is probably a bad idea anyway."

"Sit back down, Lieutenant." Chakotay waited until she did as instructed. "Now what is this bad idea?"

"Day of Honor is ten days away. You remember last year?" Chakotay nodded as he recalled B'Elanna's struggles and almost losing her and Tom when they had to eject the warp core. "Well, I wanted to do something special for Tom to thank him for…"

Her voice trailed off and Chakotay nodded. "I think I understand. What did you have in mind?"

"I want it to be something special and I want it to be a surprise."

"You want to surprise Tom?" Chakotay knew a challenge when he heard one.

"That's why I need your help."

"I suppose asking the doctor to put him in stasis for a week or so is too extreme." Chakotay's mind raced as he considered how B'Elanna's objective could be combined with something he had been considering. "You're never going to keep it a secret from him – unless he thinks something else is going on."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll explain in a minute. What kind of surprise did you want for Tom?"

"I considered including some of our friends but I think I'd rather have it be just the two of us. Maybe something on the holodeck from the twentieth century."

"Can you handle that part if I get Harry to help you?"

"I think so. He's going to notice the two of us working on a program for the holodeck though. There's no way we could keep that a secret."

"You won't."

B'Elanna almost stood up to leave but the sly smile on Chakotay's face told her he had a plan. "OK, old man. What do you have in mind?"

"Actually, it's fairly simple." The dimples deepened. "It's been seven years since the captain was given command of Voyager. We've had parties for just about everyone else on the crew but not one just for her."

"How does that fit in with Tom's surprise?"

"I'll tell the captain the plans are a party you want to give for Tom. She'll pretty much ignore things as long as she knows I'm keeping an eye on what's going on."

"What about Tom?"

"That's a bit trickier. We'll probably have to let the entire crew in on the basics if we're going to pull this off. We don't tell Tom anything. In fact, other than Harry, we don't tell anyone any of the details of Tom's party. What they don't know, Tom can't overhear or get out of them."

"But Harry? Tom will target him at the first opportunity."

"Is there anyone else as good with the holodeck?"

"I don't need help with the actual program; I need help with the idea."

"I need to keep the captain distracted." Chakotay's smile grew. "We both need to keep Tom from finding out. Who better to help you than the captain?"

"Go on." B'Elanna urged.

"Let's rethink this just a bit, B. We'll tell the captain the big plans are a diversion from the real one and only the three of us know the real plan."

"It could work. Do you think she'll help?"

Chakotay chuckled. "For the chance to pull one over on Tom? What do you think?"

B'Elanna laughed when she considered it from that perspective. "If it's just the three of us, how do we explain the plans for your party for the captain to her?"

"A diversion for Tom so he doesn't ask too many questions about you and the captain working so much on the holodeck. If I tell her it will give the entire crew a chance to fool Tom, she'll understand and go along with it. Keeping it a 'secret' from Tom will mean he's focused on finding out what he hasn't been told."

"And what about the crew?"

"Mostly we tell them the truth. It's a party for the captain but we told her it was for Tom. Since it's supposed to be for Tom, he isn't involved and can't be told any details. I'll toss in ten rations a day for the entire crew for every day that they can keep it a secret from Tom."

"Who will you get to do the plans for the captain's party?"

"I think I'll ask Sam Wildman to help me. She can come up with a list of hors d' oeuvres and desserts. Neelix can put up a few balloons and streamers in the mess hall. That's as elaborate as it needs to be." Chakotay sat back in his chair. "What's the weak point in this plan?"

"Harry." B'Elanna didn't have to think more than a second. "Tom will be after him for details in a flash."

"Then let's take him out of the loop, too."

"I hate to do that to Harry. He'll think we don't trust him to keep a secret."

"We don't." Chakotay sighed. "Until he learns to say 'no' to Tom and mean it, he's going to have to accept decisions like this."

Chakotay studied B'Elanna. "What are you thinking, B?"

"Let me tell Harry the entire plan, the real plan. This is important to both of us and involves his best friend and the captain. If he's ever going to stand up to Tom, this is the time."

"You sure about this? Tom finding out won't affect the captain's party, only your surprise."

"I'm sure. I think he can keep it a secret from Tom."

"All right. You talk to Harry. I'll get the captain down to engineering to talk to you sometime tomorrow after I explain the plan to her. I'll send something to the crew and alert Tuvok to make sure Tom can't hack into any files he shouldn't see."

"Thanks, Chakotay." B'Elanna stood to leave.

Chakotay crossed the room and sat down in his usual chair next to the captain's desk. He knew the captain was trying to figure out why he had asked to speak to her. His lips twitched as he watched her expression. She was definitely curious.

"You wanted to see me, Commander?"

"I did." He finally met her eyes. "I need a favor. Or rather, B'Elanna needs a favor and I told her I'd help."

"And this affects me?"

"I told her you'd help out."

"Really?" The captain's voice sounded curious. "What makes you think I'd volunteer?"

"It's for B'Elanna and she doesn't ask many favors," Chakotay hoped the next part was irresistible, "and it's a chance to put one over on Tom."

It worked. The captain's expression changed only slightly, but Chakotay knew he had her hooked.

"What exactly would I have to do?"

"Just help B'Elanna set up a holoprogram to surprise Tom."

"Why do I get the idea there is more to this than just a holoprogram?"

"Because Tom is involved." Chakotay's honest comment prompted shared smiles. "He's going to notice B'Elanna working on the program so B'Elanna and I thought the best way to distract him from a small surprise would be to make him think there is a BIG surprise in the works."

"You're going to pretend to plan an elaborate surprise party for Tom but it's really just a small private affair for him and B'Elanna?"

"That's pretty much sums it up."

"The crew is going to hear about the big plans, too. I'm not sure I want to disappoint them."

"They'll be in on it. I thought I'd even give everyone extra rations for each day they keep Tom completely uninformed."

"You mean you think this entire ship can keep a secret from Tom?"

"I think it will be fun to see us all try. And while everyone is trying to keep the fake plans a secret, you and B'Elanna will be carrying out the real surprise. The best part is that because you and B'Elanna are the last ones he'll try to get information from means that the real plans are pretty much safe."

"Won't the crew know the real plans?"

"Not the details. Just that something else is being planned and the big party is a fake." Chakotay paused to study the captain's face for a moment. "So, will you help B'Elanna?"

"I'm in." The captain smiled. "I have a feeling you have a suggestion for how B'Elanna and I should proceed."

Chakotay tried not to look guilty. "Sometime after lunch today, go down to engineering to talk to her. After that, I'd suggest that the two of you use my office for your real meetings. Then make more excuses to visit engineering but never talk to B'Elanna alone. Have B'Elanna deliver her reports to you in your ready room but never have her stay to talk. Just bring me the reports on the bridge as soon as she leaves."

"You mean draw attention to ourselves?" The captain nodded her head thoughtfully. "Good diversion. Make it look like we're together a lot more than usual but only when it really is ship's business."

"As I said, plan ahead when you really want to work and meet in my office. I'll make some minor changes in the duty roster that will keep Tom busy at least a few hours a day so you and B'Elanna can work on the holodeck."

"Don't bother. She and I can work while we're on duty if necessary." The captain met Chakotay's surprised eyes with an impudent grin. "I'm the captain. If B'Elanna is with me, it's ship's business."

"Let me know ahead of time if possible. I'll have Tuvok set up some drills to keep the bridge crew occupied."

"Have one or two surprise ones ready in case we need it unexpectedly." The captain was silent a minute while she considered other factors. "I think the crew should get something special if we pull this off. Plan a small party for them in the mess hall at the same time as B'Elanna's party for Tom. Can you keep that a surprise from them?"

Chakotay laughed. "I hope so." His words were sincere. Another layer added to those already in place. He only hoped he could keep them all straight.

"Good. I don't suppose you'd let B'Elanna and me store our program under your name?"

Chakotay hesitated only briefly. "Of course. I'll authorize that when I change the access authorizations to my office. I'll set them up so none of them will work if anyone else is with either of you."

The captain glanced speculatively at her first officer. "I can see why you were teaching tactics at the academy."

Chakotay acknowledged the compliment and stood. "Join me for an early lunch?"

"I probably shouldn't. If I'm going to spend part of the afternoon with B'Elanna, I really should finish a few other things."

"It might be our last chance this week." Chakotay smiled pleadingly.

"When you put it like that, how can I refuse?" She looked at him quizzically as she stood up. "You never did say why B'Elanna was doing this."

"She can explain it better than I can. "

"Fine. I'll ask her later. Maybe you will explain why you haven't taken steps that are more drastic in dealing with that missing equipment from the biology and chemistry labs."

Chakotay sighed as they crossed the bridge to the turbolift. He knew the captain knew about the stills on deck fourteen. Why did she have to ask him about them as they crossed the bridge? Now he'd have to take some action or the entire crew would know the command team knew. He glanced at her face as the turbolift doors opened and knew she had done it intentionally. She started chuckling as soon as the doors shut.

"Why?"

"Three is too many. I want one shut down. I don't care whose it is."

"The third one is barely functional. It's being kept as a backup for the others just in case it's found."

"Then 'find' that one. I'm tired of having my exec and chief of security looking incompetent in my logs."

"You put the stills in your logs?"

"Of course. No captain in his or her right mind ever shuts down ALL the stills on a ship… or leaves them out of the logs. For a ship this size, three is too many."

"My discretion on how I accomplish this?"

"Of course."

"I'll try to have it dismantled by the start of Alpha Shift tomorrow."

"Try?"

"You said my discretion, Captain." Chakotay smiled as the lift doors opened and changed the subject. "How long has it been since you lost a pool game at Sandrine's?"

The captain laughed as they moved down the corridor. "You know exactly how long ago. I still think you cheated."

Chakotay sat idly turning an empty cup in his hands waiting for Ayala to finish his lunch. The captain had left the mess hall earlier for engineering. Ayala stood and picked up his tray. Chakotay was on his feet immediately taking the padd and cup with him.

He added the cup to Ayala's tray when he caught up with him at the counter. "I need to speak with you in my office, Lieutenant."

"Of course, sir. I'm due on the bridge in two minutes."

"Tuvok already has your post covered."

Ayala dropped off the tray and turned to follow Chakotay. They discussed the most recent hover ball competition as they walked. Once in his office, Chakotay turned to Ayala and extended the padd.

"I want you to personally hand a copy of this to each and every person on the ship except Tom Paris. Give Naomi her copy when Sam is with her. Make sure everyone reads it immediately. Immediately. If anyone gives you any problem about that, take back their copy and let me know who they are. Make sure they know that I won't be pleased to have to deal with them personally."

"The captain, too?"

"No, I'll give the captain her copy."

"Sure thing, Commander. Can I ask why Tom doesn't get one?"

"Just read it. That will explain it well enough. Oh, Tom can't know about any of this. You'll have to catch the bridge crew when he isn't around."

"How soon do I have to have them all delivered?"

"Try to finish by end of Alpha Shift but no later than 20:00."

"I'll have to wake a few people."

"Tell them you're just following orders but make sure they read it."

"Which replicator should I use for the padds?"

"You can use the one in here for the first thirty or so. Then use one in engineering. Tell Torres I said it was ok. Make sure you replicate blank padds and copy the file. I don't want any trace of that notice in the computer's files."

Chakotay started to leave then stopped. "I almost forgot. This is off the record. While you're making the deliveries, let the people with that back up still know that they have until the beginning of Alpha Shift tomorrow to disassemble it and get all its components back to the correct department. If it's not, my first act when going on duty tomorrow will be to order Commander Tuvok to shut them all down. If a third still ever appears again, that order will be immediate and no one will receive any warning. You can share that with whomever might be interested."

Ayala nodded. "I understand. I'll handle it, Boss."

"Thanks. Let me know when you've finished the deliveries."

"Will do, Commander."

The captain had been waiting impatiently for her chief engineer to finish dealing with a minor problem so they could start discussing the holodeck program. Lieutenant Torres had barely sat down at her desk when the door chimed. They both turned to see who was interrupting them.

"Lieutenant. Commander Chakotay asked me to deliver this to you." He handed each woman a padd. "I'm supposed to wait while you read it."

The captain had to give Chakotay credit. He was making sure everyone read the memo.

"And if she doesn't read it?" The captain was curious what Chakotay had planned for the crew.

"I'm supposed to take back the padd and let him know. My understanding was that he would deal with it personally."

"He will, will he?" The captain chuckled as she spoke. "I guess you'd better read it, Lieutenant."

Torres quickly read over the memo nodding her head occasionally. When she was finished, she put the padd in her pocket.

"How did he do?"

"It looks good, Captain." Lieutenant Torres turned to Ayala. "Is that sufficient for your purposes?"

"Sure is. Thanks, Lieutenant. Sorry for interrupting you." Ayala backed out the door and nodded. "Captain."

Once the door closed, the captain turned back to the engineer. "Chakotay is certainly thorough."

"He sure is. Now, where do we start?"

"I have one question first. Chakotay told me your objective but he didn’t tell me why you wanted to do something special for Tom."

"Oh." Lieutenant Torres had clearly not been expecting that question. "You're familiar with the Klingon Day of Honor, right?" The captain nodded and allowed Torres to continue. "Well, last year it was really hard for me to deal with Day of Honor. In a way, it's our first anniversary together even though neither of us actually uses the Klingon calendar. It's also a very special day for Klingons and Tom has always been very supportive of my Klingon heritage."

"I've noticed that on one or two occasions." The captain commented with wry humor.

"Sometimes too supportive." B'Elanna sounded exasperated.

"That, too." The captain agreed.

"Well, I wanted to do something to let him know I appreciate that support -- most of the time, anyway. And I wanted to let him know how much I…." The voice faded away as B'Elanna Torres looked down at her hands.

"I think I understand." The captain briefly touched the folded hands of the engineer. "You want to acknowledge all the things you never quite say and make sure he knows them."

Torres looked up gratefully. "You do understand."

The captain nodded her head thoughtfully. "Let's get to work then. I take it that you want to do a program from the twentieth century?"

Torres nodded and quickly started making a list of the scenarios she had on her list of possible themes. An hour later, the captain left engineering looking forward to the project.

"Commander, could I have a word with you in my ready room." The captain didn't even pause as she moved from the turbolift to her ready room. By the time Chakotay had followed her, she was at the replicator inhaling a fresh cup of coffee. She took a drink and smiled contentedly. "Remind me to have B'Elanna install another replicator in engineering."

"I didn't realize replicators were located solely to ensure the availability of coffee for the captain."

"Now you know." The captain grinned.

"I take it you and B'Elanna are getting off to a good start?"

"Absolutely." 

"Is that why you called me in here?" Chakotay reminded the captain she had asked to see him.

"I was just wondering about those missing items from the various labs. I don't suppose they've magically reappeared?"

"You'll find the details in Tuvok's daily report, but the equipment you were concerned about is all back where it belongs."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope. You said my discretion." Chakotay grinned. "Don't try to tell me when you were first officer on a ship that you always told the captain everything."

"That's the nice thing about being the captain. There are some questions you don't have to answer."

Chakotay sat nursing a headache at breakfast the next morning. All the plans for Tom's surprise were in motion. That was why he had a headache – keeping who 'knew' what straight in conversations. And it was only the first day. At least all traces of the third still had disappeared and equipment that had been missing was back where it belonged.

The door swished open and Tom walked in with Harry and B'Elanna. The sudden quiet in the mess hall was unnerving but conversations soon started again. He watched Tom glance around the room curiously and completely miss B'Elanna's satisfied smile and Harry's sigh of relief.

A minute later, the door opened again to admit the captain followed by another sudden silence. The captain ignored the silence and moved to sit down opposite Chakotay. "Good morning, Commander. How are things going?"

"Things are going fine, Captain." The look he gave her spoke volumes for the multiple layers to her question.

"You don't look so fine. What's wrong?" Her concern was real.

"I have the beginnings of what promises to be a terrible headache."

"Go to sickbay for an analgesic before you report to the bridge." She glanced across the room at her three youngest senior officers and lowered her voice. "I really need you on the bridge today. I have a project elsewhere that requires my attention."

"I'll be wherever you need me to be." Chakotay nodded and tried to lighten the conversation. "Have I ever let you down when we agreed on one of your projects?"

The captain reached out to touch his hand on the cup. "I'm serious, Chakotay. Are you all right?"

Chakotay looked up to see worried gray eyes looking directly at him. "It's just a headache, nothing more. I'll be fine, Kathryn."

"Come find me at 12:00. I want to see for myself that you really are fine."

"Torres has to meet Paris for lunch then?" Chakotay teased.

"That's not why I want you to find me. I could have the computer tell us what time it is." The captain was not angry but Chakotay could tell she was completely serious and slightly affronted by his comment.

"I'm sorry, Captain. That was out of line." He met her eyes before he stood. "I'd better get going if I have to stop at sickbay on the way to the bridge."

The captain nodded as he turned toward the door.

"You'd better get going, B'Elanna. Tom will be wondering how much you know if you're late." The captain stood up from Chakotay's desk where she had been scanning historic records. "He's already curious enough."

"I just hope Chakotay and Tuvok have enough planned to keep him occupied while he's on duty." She sighed. "I'm going to have to do most of this while he's on duty."

"Don't worry about that. Things have been pretty quiet lately. Let your department stand on its own for a few days."

"You mean let them find out they don't really need me?"

"You might be surprised. I think they'd find out they miss you."

"You're serious, aren't you?" The captain could hear the surprise in B'Elanna's voice.

"Absolutely." Sincerity turned to mild humor. "Now get going before you give away your own surprise."

"Yes, ma'am!" B'Elanna retorted with spirit as she left Chakotay's office.

Kathryn walked over to the replicator and requested a cup of coffee. She sipped it a few times before moving to the couch to wait for Chakotay. His comment at breakfast had struck a nerve and reminded her of what B'Elanna had said the day before.

The door opened twenty minutes later and Kathryn looked up to see her first officer. "You're late."

"B'Elanna was already in the mess hall at 12:00. I didn't want to draw Paris's attention by leaving for lunch then not actually being in the mess hall. So, I waited ten minutes."

"How's the headache?"

"The one you mean is long gone. I was starting to get another one about 10:00 but Tuvok must have noticed and managed to short out something on Tom's board. That kept him busy until lunch."

"Tom that curious already?"

"Yes. It's not going to be easy keeping him busy."

"How is Tuvok taking this little project?"

"He hasn't said much about B'Elanna's plans but I think he sees it as a challenge."

"Didn't Tom raise a question a month or so ago at a staff meeting about recertifying a few of the crew on the shuttles?"

"Yes." Chakotay smiled. "I think my headache is getting better."

"At the next staff meeting, which just happens to be today, let's get him started on that – for every member of the crew."

"We have a staff meeting today?"

"We do now." The captain chuckled. "Let's get some lunch and discuss the agenda. I'm sure we can count on Neelix for at least one topic."

As they reached the door, the captain reached out her hand to touch his arm. "I really was worried about you this morning."

Chakotay looked at her hand on his arm and touched it briefly with his other hand as he met her gaze. "I know."

Five days later, the captain stood and stretched before walking around the desk and heading for the replicator. "That's the last of the list, B'Elanna. I think you have a nice selection of possible films for this little surprise."

"Thanks for your help on that part. The holodeck program would have been enough but your suggestions on this have really helped."

The captain smiled at her chief engineer. "I've enjoyed it. Want something to drink?"

"With Day of Honor coming up, I should be thinking of blood wine but a glass of lemonade sounds more tempting right now."

The captain carried the lemonade and her coffee over to the couch and sat down. She took a sip of her coffee and then stared into it.

"What are you thinking, Captain?"

"Nothing much." She sipped her cup again. "That's not quite true. I was thinking that it's not often someone remembers to thank the ones closest to them just for being there."

"I imagine it's because I've been alone so much of my life, or at least I've felt alone. Even here on Voyager, I sometimes used to feel alone in the crowd. That hasn't happened since Tom decided he was my friend. Even when we were just friends he never let me settle for second best. He's the best thing that ever happened to me." B'Elanna took a drink of her lemonade then asked absently. "Who's the best thing that ever happened to you?" The pointed silence that followed reminded B'Elanna exactly who else was in the room. "I'm sorry, Captain. I shouldn't have asked that question."

"It's all right, B'Elanna, as long as you don't expect an answer," the captain responded. "I'm not sure I know how to answer that question anyway."

B'Elanna finished her lemonade and stood up. "I'd better get going. Tom has a group down in the shuttle bay and if I'm not around, he might start wondering what's going on."

The captain watched her chief engineer head for the door and was surprised when B'Elanna turned to make one last comment. "Perhaps that 'nothing much' you were thinking about is the best thing that's ever happened to you. Don't forget to thank him someday."

Eight days after they had put the plan in motion, Chakotay checked the chronometer for the fifth time in less than an hour. Only one more hour left on Alpha Shift. He felt the captain's eyes on him but didn't look at her. Things had gone surprisingly well. The captain had helped Torres come up with a program that she thought would please Tom yet convey her message; Tom was still trying to find out what was going on; and forty members of the crew had been recertified in the shuttles with more scheduled in the coming weeks.

Chakotay glanced at the view screen. They were in orbit around a nice, bleak, mineral rich planet where away teams had located half a dozen metals that would be invaluable as trade items sooner or later. The mining operations had been finished before lunch but the captain had decided to remain in orbit another thirty-six hours.

He made a few changes to the duty roster to give Tuvok forty-eight hours off duty, well deserved time off after keeping track of Tom's efforts for the last week. He also took Paris and Torres off the duty roster for the next day. A few other changes to compensate for those normally on the shift and he was finished. He highlighted the changes and turned the monitor toward the captain for her approval.

While the captain read over the changes in the roster, Chakotay went over a mental checklist. B'Elanna's plans were completed and ready to go. Neelix, with a little help from Sam and Naomi Wildman, had the captain's party under control. It was a little more elaborate than originally intended, but thanks to Sam, it promised to be tasteful with only a hint of extravagance. Because the captain thought the party was for the crew, they had already made plans to linger on the bridge for ten or fifteen minutes, then make a brief appearance before adjourning to his quarters for dinner.

A soft tap on his hand drew his attention to the monitor the captain had turned back towards him. She had removed him from the duty roster the next day. Chakotay snapped his head toward her to see determined eyes and a look that meant he'd better not say a word in front of the crew. He nodded slightly to indicate that the discussion could wait.

The captain stood and moved toward her ready room. "Join me when the shift changes, Commander. There's something I want to discuss with you."

"Aye, captain." Chakotay sighed and checked the chronometer. Thirty minutes to go. He pulled up the schedule for the shuttle recertifications and started making changes to push the entire schedule back a day or two. The only reason for the tight schedule had been to keep Tom busy and that was no longer required. When he heard the first of Beta Shift arrive, he forwarded the revised schedule to those affected, added a few notes on the changes and sent it to Tom for delivery in twelve hours. He waited until Tom had turned over the helm before hitting the send key.

Sighing in relief, Chakotay stood and turned the bridge over to his relief. The ready room door slid open as he approached so he knew the captain was waiting for him.

"You wanted to see me, Captain."

"Actually, I believe you wanted to argue with me about the duty roster." The captain smiled. "Don't bother. I'm not changing my mind. You're taking the day off."

"Captain, I don't need…"

"You think you don't need a day off." The stern voice softened slightly. "That headache is coming back, isn't it?"

Chakotay refused to answer so she continued. "I thought so. You need a day off. You've earned it. You're taking it."

She turned away toward the replicator. "How about some tea before we make our appearance at the crew's party. Have you sent them all their extra rations yet?"

She led the way to the couch then handed him his cup. "Sit down, Chakotay. Relax a few minutes."

Chakotay accepted the tea and sat down. "Thank you."

As she sat down next to him, Chakotay felt the mood change. He watched Kathryn sip her coffee then sigh.

"I can't believe we did it. We actually kept a secret from Tom for over a week." She sounded pleased. "The entire crew has earned that party."

"I think Tom has earned the party B'Elanna has planned, don't you?"

"Definitely." She sipped her coffee. "I wish we saw more of that side of him."

"I think we'll see more of it. B'Elanna is as good for him as he is for her."

"I hope so."

"Besides, the lighter side of Tom is good for the crew," Chakotay teased, "and the captain."

"So is B'Elanna." Kathryn stood and took their cups to the recycler not giving Chakotay time to ask about her cryptic remark. "We'd better get going."

"Where are we going? Aren't we supposed to be having dinner in your quarters?"

"I need you to check out something on the holodeck for me. I'm having problems with the character's personality matrix." B'Elanna stopped in the corridor. "Unless you don't want to help me."

"No, of course I want to help you." Tom stopped and turned B'Elanna to face him. "This shuttle recertification has just made me a bit grumpy plus I'm hungry. That's all. Now tell me what the problem is."

"It'll be easier to show you." B'Elanna led him to the holodeck entrance and started up a program. "Come on."

They walked into a dimly lit restaurant. As Tom's eyes adjusted to the light, he could make out a single table in the corner with a solitary candle dripping wax down a wine bottle. Soft music played in the background.

Tom turned to stare at B'Elanna.

"Do you like it?" He could hear the nervousness in her voice.

"It's wonderful, B." He looked into her eyes. "Did you do all this for me?"

She nodded. "There's more. After dinner, we're going to a drive-in movie – a triple feature – Beauty and the Beast, Cat Ballou and Romancing the Stone. Even with the captain's help, it took me ages to pick them out."

"This is the big secret that's been driving me nuts for the last week?"

"Yes. Are you surprised?"

"Totally. But why?"

"It's Day of Honor. I wanted to do something special to let you know how much I appreciate your support even if I don't always say it." She reached up to touch his shoulder. "Thank you for letting me love you."

"I love you, B." Tom wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

The kiss started gently but quickly grew much more intense. B'Elanna struggled to push him away. "That's for later, Tom, much later. Besides, I thought you were hungry."

"I changed my mind." Tom tried to pull her back into his arms.

"I said later." Her voice softened. "Please."

"Dinner, a triple feature and you. I'm one lucky man." Tom wrapped his arm around B'Elanna's shoulders and moved toward the table. "Do they have pizza?"

The captain stepped through the doors of the mess hall expecting to see a party in full swing. Instead, she met a room filled with faces looking at her and calling "Surprise!" "Congratulations!" "Seven Years of Command Excellence!"

The captain looked around completely confused until she read some of the signs posted. Then she understood and turned to find a more than slightly pleased first officer by her side. She turned back to the assembled crowd.

"Thank you. I'm not sure I deserve this honor. I am sure I don't have the words to express everything I'm feeling at this moment." The captain's voice wavered slightly than became more confident. "When I took command of Voyager, I hoped I would be her captain for many years but I never expected to have the same crew for so many of those years. While it's my job to make you the best crew you could be, you all made my job easier by being the best crew a captain could ever hope to command. Thank you." The captain looked slowly around the room at the familiar faces.

"One more item. Thanks to all of you, I quite probably will go down in Starfleet records as the best loved captain in the fleet. I'd like to thank each one of you for making that possible by not requesting a transfer for more than seven years."

Chakotay's chuckle was only the first as the gathered crew realized their captain was joking. As the laughter started to die down, Chakotay stepped forward and lifted a glass that Ayala had passed to him. "Today is the Klingon Day of Honor. There is no time more fitting to honor the one who has led us so far on our journey home. To our captain!"

A rousing cheer slowly turned into the normal sound of a room full of people talking among themselves. The captain turned to her first officer. "You planned this?"

"No, we," Chakotay swept his arm toward the entire room, "planned this."

"All that work with B'Elanna was to distract me?" The captain allowed a touch of irritation into her voice.

"No, that was real. B'Elanna has Tom on the holodeck. But it kept you distracted enough not to notice the plans for this celebration."

The captain glanced at the crowd. "Can we go somewhere a little quieter to talk?"

"This is your party."

"We'll come back."

Chakotay nodded and followed her out the door. As they walked down the corridor to the turbolift, the captain asked, "Why did you plan that party, Chakotay?"

"To celebrate the years you've commanded Voyager."

"But why single me out? Why not celebrate Tuvok as the Chief of Security? Why such a big party? Why not just a simple 'congratulations' at breakfast?"

Chakotay was silent as he stepped onto the lift.

"Deck Three." The destination clearly surprised Chakotay but he remained silent. "You did it for me, not the captain, didn't you?"

"I thought you'd be pleased, Captain. It won't happen again." The lift stopped and he stepped back to allow her to exit ahead of him.

"You don't understand what I mean." The captain led the way to her quarters. She looked up at the familiar form walking beside her and knew what she had to do. "You planned that party for Kathryn, not the captain."

Chakotay stopped as they reached her door. "I'm sorry. Try as I might, I just can't separate the two. If I went home after I got off duty and could have an entirely different group of people around to join for dinner or just sit around and talk, it might be different. But on this ship, there is only one group. The captain is Kathryn and Kathryn is the captain."

The captain led the way into her quarters and turned to face Chakotay as the door closed. She spoke softly. "If you were just Chakotay and I were just Kathryn and there was no rank and no ship, what would you do right now?"

Chakotay just stared at her. 

She stepped closer to him and whispered, "Don't tell me. Show me."

Ever so slowly, he bent down enough to brush her lips with his. When she returned the kiss, he pulled her head closer ever so gently with one hand as his other arm wrapped around her waist. When her arms pushed their way between them to reach around his neck, he tightened his grasp and deepened the kiss.

Both were breathing heavily when they finally broke apart. Kathryn slowly released her clasp on his neck and took his hand to lead him to the couch. He sat down and pulled her down beside him. "Why now, Kathryn? After all these years, why now?"

"B'Elanna and her surprise for Tom. As close as they are and as much time as she spends with him, she still felt the need to make sure he knew how she felt about him. She called him the best thing that ever happened to her." Kathryn paused. "Then she asked me who was the best thing that ever happened to me.

"I couldn't answer her, not because I didn't know but because I had never thought about you quite like that. She's worried about all the things she's never said in the last year yet I've let seven years go by and never said a word. She made me realize that it's time I told you that I do appreciate all the little things you do for me and what I feel."

"What do you feel?"

"I love you, but there's more to it than that." The captain paused as she tried to organize her thoughts. "You push me to be the best I can be, as a person and as an officer, and you tell me when I push myself too far or too hard. You tell me when I set a standard for the crew that's too high and when I underestimate them, and you make sure the standard I expect of myself is just as balanced. You aren't afraid to take me down a peg but if I stumble, your hand is the first to help me get back on my feet. You're there when I need you and you make sure I make time for myself. It's Day of Honor and I wanted in some way to honor all you do for me. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. I want you to know that."

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'll be happy to tell you that every day if you'll let me, but I'd rather demonstrate it."

"How would you do that?" Kathryn looked into Chakotay's eyes searching for the words he hadn't yet said.

"I love you, Kathryn Janeway." He turned toward Kathryn and slowly lowered his lips to hers. One of her arms wrapped around his neck as she met him halfway. He pushed her back along the couch as the kiss deepened and Kathryn lost track of time.

Some time later, Chakotay pushed himself up on one arm. "I don't know about you, but I’m too old to enjoy this on a couch."

"I agree." Kathryn smiled up at him. "You are too old."

Chakotay ignored her gibe as he got to his feet. "I hate to mention this, but I'm the host of a party in your honor a few decks down and we really should go back."

"I'll go back to the party on one condition." Kathryn stood and moved into his arms.

"What?"

"We stay no more than an hour and we come back here for dinner and…." Her words trailed off as she reinforced her suggestive tone by leaning against him.

"And what?"

"I'll show you why I really took you off the roster tomorrow." Kathryn kissed him quickly then stepped away. "Come on. The sooner we get back to the party the sooner we can leave. As much as I like our crew, I'd rather celebrate Day of Honor alone with you."
 

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