by Dakota

"Commander, you're with me!"

Kathryn's voice rang clearly across the bridge as she exited her ready room and headed directly toward the turbolift. The entire bridge crew looked up in surprise at her abrupt appearance. Even Chakotay took a moment to react before he stood and headed for the turbolift. He glanced at Kathryn to see whether she was going to indicate who should take the bridge but she didn’t even glance in his direction.

"Ensign Kim, you have the bridge." Chakotay chose Harry mainly because his station could be covered from tactical for the fifteen minutes remaining before the Beta shift reported to the bridge. Chakotay caught the slight nod from Tuvok indicating that he had switched most of the functions from Ops to his board.

Chakotay reached the turbolift just as the doors were opening. Kathryn didn’t turn; she merely stepped into the lift and turned to face the door. Chakotay followed her into the lift and waited for her to speak.

"Deck 3." Chakotay was really puzzled now. What could be so urgent that it required their attention on Deck 3 before the end of their shift? He waited for her to explain but Kathryn remained silent.

"Captain, may I ask…." Chakotay never finished his question as the turbolift jerked to a halt and the lights flickered before dimming to about 50% normal. Both Chakotay and Kathryn were thrown against the back of the lift but neither fell. Their hands slapped their combadges almost in unison but neither chirped to signal they had been activated.

"Darn!" Judging by the tone of her voice, Kathryn was not amused. "Now is a fine time for another crew turbolift prank!"

"This late in our shift? How could they know we'd be leaving the bridge early instead of with the others?"

"Well, it's not an attack or we'd be hearing the alerts."

"It might just be a malfunction." Kathryn just stared at Chakotay as if he were senile. He yielded to her opinion. "You're right. A crew prank fits the facts."

Chakotay sighed and slid down the wall to sit on the floor. "You may as well sit down, Kathryn. We could be in here a while."

"I know. I suppose we should know better than to get on a lift together but how do we avoid it?" Kathryn sat down about a foot from Chakotay and stretched her legs out.

"We don't avoid it; we just try not to give them any warning when we're going to be alone on a lift together. What I don't understand is how they managed to pull this off with so little notice. It was no more than two minutes from the time you left your ready room until we stalled."

"I have no idea." Kathryn sighed. "Is it me or is it getting warmer in here?"

"It's not you. It is getting warmer."

"Well, let's not waste our time in here. Tell me about that little argument that started after lunch down in the science department."

As Chakotay quietly explained all the events leading to the little argument that was actually more like a free-for-all, Kathryn shed her jacket and tugged at the collar of her turtleneck.

"So Morrow was the one who started it?"

"Not really. He was responding to comments Swift made yesterday."

"Well, who threw the first punch?"

"According to Ryson, Swift did, but Robertson swears Trumari did. Lewis wasn't paying attention and didn't actually see what happened. About all I know for sure is that Billy Telfer and Jurot were trying unsuccessfully to calm things down between Peterson and Blain."

"Where was Weiss while all this was happening?"

Chakotay removed his jacket as he started feeling the effects of the rising heat.

"Checking a power feed in the corridor."

"What were all those people doing in the same lab in the first place?" Kathryn's voice held a trace of irritation.

"Seven had blown a relay that shut down three others and they were all trying to work in the only one that still had power."

"Well, make sure that doesn't happen again. Take whatever steps you think are necessary to keep her from blowing power relays for the rest of the ship."

"I'll do that."

"What do you propose to do about punishment?"

"My first reaction when I heard the story was to put them all in the brig for a week or so, but that would be more of a punishment to security and those who had to cover all those stations while they were there."

"What do you suggest then?"

Chakotay took the opportunity to get Kathryn's opinion. "I was thinking of something like community service."

"What?" Kathryn tugged her turtleneck over her head and folded it before placing it neatly on top of her jacket. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

"I thought all of them could perform some tasks for the rest of the crew. There are seven of them so I thought I would make them each help out forty other people for an hour during their free time. The actual tasks would be determined by the people they are helping -- cleaning, laundry, and things like that. I might assign some of them to clean public areas or help out in the mess hall, too."

"I like it. Make sure no one makes inappropriate requests of any of them." Kathryn nodded her approval of Chakotay's plan then glanced at him. "Why don't you take off your turtleneck?"

"Well," Chakotay glanced nervously everywhere but at Kathryn, "I didn't bother to put on my tee shirt today."

"Well, I won't put you on report so take that thing off before you melt. I'm not exactly regulation either." Kathryn paused to give Chakotay time to consider what she meant. "Or do you want me to take off my tank to make you feel more comfortable?"

For the first time Chakotay actually looked at Kathryn and realized she had nothing on beneath her tank top.

"That won't be necessary, Kathryn." Hoping to avoid more discussion about their clothing, Chakotay pulled his turtleneck over his head and tossed it on top of his jacket. As he settled back against the wall, he slid away from Kathryn slightly.

"Are you still uncomfortable?" Kathryn slid after him.

"No, I'm fine now."

"Funny, you don't sound fine to me. What's wrong?" Kathryn turned slightly to face Chakotay as she spoke. Chakotay tried to look Kathryn in the eyes while he thought of an answer but his eyes dropped to the neckline of her tank and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Can we discuss the crew instead of me, please?" Chakotay tried desperately to change the subject to safer territory.

"All right." Kathryn was quick to agree. "What exactly do you think they hope will happen when they get us stuck in here like this?"

Chakotay didn’t know what to say. His imagination knew exactly what they hoped. He shifted away from Kathryn again, only to have her slide after him.

"I've never thought about what they expect." Chakotay was attempting to avoid voicing what they both knew the crew expected and hoped.

"I have. Shall I tell you what I think?" Kathryn smiled slightly as she slid a little closer. "I think they hope we will let our baser instincts take over."

"You would think they'd know us better than that."

"I think they know us very well, Chakotay. Only it wouldn't be our baser instincts, would it?"

"I don't understand what you mean."

"It would be our emotions taking control of us." Kathryn shifted onto her knees and leaned toward him. She reached out one hand and gently turned his head so she could look into his eyes. "Wouldn't it?"

Chakotay searched her face trying to figure out what she meant. His uncertainty was clear.

"No games, Chakotay. This is real. Wouldn't it be our emotions finally taking control?" Kathryn's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yes." The single word rasped out of his throat.

Kathryn moved her lips toward his as she whispered. "Let's let them."

Chakotay slowly returned to reality, or what was supposed to be reality. He held a naked Kathryn in his arms in the corner of a turbolift. She was breathing softly and didn't stir until he shifted to sit up.

"I was comfortable," she complained quietly.

"I wasn't, not on this floor."

Kathryn stood up and started sorting through the clothing in the far corner. She seemed to be pulling back already and all Chakotay could do was watch her dress. He was already missing the feel of her in his arms and wondering whether she was regretting her decision. She finally noticed his stare.

"Don't you think you should get dressed? Next time we'll use a bed."

"Next time?" A bit of hope crept into his voice.

"Of course, next time." Kathryn turned to look at Chakotay. "You didn't think I meant this as a one-time encounter, did you?"

"I wasn't sure, just as I'm not sure how soon 'next time' will be." Chakotay struggled to keep his voice even in case he misunderstood Kathryn's meaning.

"Well, I don't want to rush you, but I was thinking tonight after dinner, unless you object."

Chakotay's smile was all the answer Kathryn needed to know he had no objections. He scrambled to his feet and started dressing. Kathryn tugged her jacket into place and eyed her boots as Chakotay was pulling his jacket on. She slapped her combadge.

"Computer, who is in the corridor on Deck three?"

"No one is in the corridor on deck three."

"Computer, resume."

The turbolift started moving immediately to Chakotay's amazement. He looked at Kathryn standing barefoot next to him. As she calmly met his gaze, he realized that she had been the person who had caused the turbolift to stall. The lift slowed to a halt. When the door opened, she picked up her boots and stepped off the lift.

"Are you joining me for dinner, Commander?" Kathryn's smile was definitely cheeky.

Chakotay chuckled; when he caught her double meaning and saw a more than slightly suggestive look in her eyes, his dimples deepened. He grabbed up his boots as he followed her off the lift.

"I'd like that, Captain. Would you mind if I provide our dessert later?"