An Ordinary Day – the morning
by VoyWriter
Disclaimer – Paramount gets all the rights to all the characters and the StarTrek
name and they probably want all the credit too. Feel free to distribute this
electronically with all disclaimers and notes in place and without revision.
comments welcome at VoyWriter@aol.com
The concept for this is courtesy YCD who seems ever inspiring.
Kathryn Janeway stepped out of shower and pulled a robe over her shoulders,
twisting her hair out of her way into a fast braid. She could hear humming in the
room beyond, soft, abstract, and the sound of the replicator being used. She
crossed to the sink, brushed her teeth, applied the small amount of make-up she
generally used on duty, and headed into the bedroom to dress.
“What’s this about another phaser overload simulation?” Chakotay asked, padding
barefoot into the bedroom, tea in one hand, padd in the other. “I thought B’Elanna
was satisfied with her efficiency ratings.”
Janeway slipped the mug from his hand, took a sip and replaced it. He raised an
eyebrow and sighed, used to it by now.
“B’Elanna was satisfied with her efficiency ratings,” Janeway told him, her mouth
tipping into a grin, “until you suggested that engineering could be the only
department with perfect ratings if she reran the simulation. She asked me not to
tell you about it. I think she planned to throw it back in your face.”
Janeway tapped the padd and then snatched it from his hand. “You’re not
supposed to be reading my logs anyway.”
“You left it on my side of the desk.”
“I’m not used to sharing.”
“Poor excuse.”
“I could say the same.” She rummaged in her drawer for clean underwear, felt a
hand in beside hers.
“These are nice,” Chakotay grinned, holding up a very brief pair of silky black
panties.
She sighed and shook her head, grabbing them and tossing them back in the
drawer, pulling out regulation whites. “I think your Captain needs to find you
more to do,” she said dryly. “Aren’t you on duty today?” she asked. He still wore
just a towel tucked around his waist.
“As I recall I was trying to check the logs,” he reminded her, tossing the towel in
the replicator and quickly dressing.
She watched his reflection surreptitiously in the mirror as she loosened the casual
braid and pinned up her hair. He was as comfortable with his body as he was with
himself. It had a taken her a little longer, but she had the same ease now.
A hand touched the back of her neck. She drew in her breath. “Missed a strand,”
he said softly, lifting the lock of hair and kissing her neck beneath it. “Breakfast?”
She shook her head. “Sorry. I have a science department meeting that may go all
day. We’re reviewing the research project schedule for next month. Working
lunch, too. I’ll try to get to the bridge before the end of shift, though. Give you a
break.”
He took up his tea, sat on the edge of the bed to watch her as she reworked her
hair. She had a grace and dignity that was not diminished by her saucy charm. He
knew he would never tire of her – looking at her, talking with her, being with her,
working with her, loving her.
“How about dinner?” he wondered, tugging his boots on.
“Late, maybe,” she offered apologetically. “Kes has been working on an inventory
of hydroponics stock and I promised to stop by after the department meeting.”
“Maybe I should call a department meeting myself,” he mused, “command level
only – First Officer and Captain.”
“You do that and I’ll be there,” she teased in return. “Have you seen my pips?”
“By the replicator,” he said, standing and following her from the bedroom.
“Right.”
“I should have the recommendations for assignment changes ready tomorrow
morning. Do you need them sooner?” Chakotay asked, tossing down the rest of
his tea and setting the cup on the counter. “Here, let me.” He picked the pips out
of her hand and placed each one on her collar.
“Tomorrow’s fine on the assignment changes. It was a good idea to move a few
people around. It could improve efficiency.”
“Thanks. I also thought it might keep people from getting restless and
complacent.” Chakotay grabbed a stack of padds from the desk. If it was a quiet
day on the bridge he might be able to find some time in the ready room and finish
the evaluations today. “Do you need me to log you off the bridge?”
She shook her head. “I’ll do it from the conference room. All set?”
He held up the padds. “Ready,” and then tipped her face up to his and gently
kissed her. “Should I wait for you for dinner?”
She traced her fingers along his jaw. “If you wouldn’t mind.”
“I’ll even cook,” he told her with a grin, stepping up to activate the doorslide.
She returned the smile and walked through the opening into the corridor. “Have a
good day, Chakotay.”
“Have a good day, Kathryn.”
An Ordinary Day 2 – Duty Shift
Kathryn Janeway pressed her fingers against her comm badge as she crossed to
the door of the conference room. The science department was filing out ahead of
her, their meeting temporarily adjourned.
“Janeway to Chakotay,” she called.
“Chakotay, here,” came her First Officer’s strained and somewhat muffled voice.
“We’ve taken a break in the department meeting until stellar cartography is ready
for their presentation. I’m about to head to the mess hall for some lunch. Care to
join me?”
There was a metallic sound and then a soft curse. “Damn.” Then, “Sorry, Kathryn.
We’ve lost the viewscreen on the ops panel. Looks a like bad control board.
Ensign Kim and I are trying to…” There was another metallic sound and another
curse.
“I get the idea,” she said dryly. “Need any help?”
“A second thumb on my right hand would come in use,” he responded with a
grunt that told her the damaged panel was most likely fused in place. “Or another
half meter of space beneath the ops station.”
She chuckled. She could picture him wedged up tight to the station, broad
shoulders shoved as close as possible against the access panel, long legs
outstretched, the muscles in his thighs and rear tensing as he struggled to release
the panel. Uncomfortable as he might be, it did show off some of his best assets,
she thought idly.
“I guess I’ll find another date,” she told him, her lips twitching into a grin.
She heard him grunt again, straining with the effort, then he came back. “Don’t
push it, Kathryn,” he warned, his soft voice touched with teasing humor.
“I promise I’ll won’t enjoy myself,” she laughed. “See you this evening. Janeway
out.”
Chakotay turned the bridge over to Tuvok and headed into the turbolift, calling
out the deck for the mess hall. He rubbed his shoulder absently trying to ease the
knotted muscles. He had ended up prying out the control board by brute force.
The new one had gone in quickly, though, and he hoped to catch Kathryn before
she finished lunch.
She was just leaving as he rounded the corridor to the mess hall, talking
animatedly with Jepson from geological sciences. Chakotay watched her a
moment, her eyes alight with enthusiasm, her expression animated, vibrant. It
extended beyond her, radiated throughout the entire ship. It never failed to touch
him. He grinned just to see her.
Her eyes caught his smile and her expression warmed, a flicker of desire,
unabashed pleasure – two things she would not have revealed before her crew
even a month ago when they first returned from New Earth.
He crossed to her side. “I thought I might be able to make it for lunch.”
She shook her head, touching her hand to his chest. “I’m sorry. We’re just getting
started again. Stellar cartography is setting up now. Did you get the ops station
back up?”
“At the expense of my shoulder and a few singed ears, yes.”
“The ears have heard worse,” she reflected with a wry grin. “And I’ll see what I
can do for that shoulder later.” She touched a finger to his jaw. “Don’t forget I’m
late tonight,” she reminded him and then she was off down the corridor for her
meeting.
Janeway stepped onto the bridge for the first time that day, expecting to see
Chakotay in the center seat, but finding it empty. She knew Tuvok was in a staff
meeting with the security crew. That left Paris in charge.
“Status, Mr. Paris,” she asked, pausing with her hands on the top railing.
“Quiet as a billiard hall on Sunday,” Paris quipped. “Commander Chakotay is in
your ready room,” he volunteered.
She shook her head and hid an amused grin. Paris was one hell of a pilot, but
never had taken to official regulation. “You might take a look at section 62 of the
Starfleet manual,” she told him as she crossed to the ready room and activated the
door slide. “I believe you’ll find there are 15 acceptable responses to a request for
a status report – not one of them says anything about a billiard hall,” she drawled.
Paris hid his own grin. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do that.” The Captain had mellowed in
small, but significant ways since she and Chakotay had returned from New Earth
and then a week later moved in together. She still ran a tight ship, but with just a
twist of humor.
Janeway found Chakotay buried in padds, concentrating on downloading data to
the reporting logs. He was sitting at the conference table. He never used her desk
except to perch on the edge when they were alone in there talking. She
appreciated the distinction and his choice to make it.
He rolled his arm in an effort to loosen his obviously stiff shoulder, reaching back
to absently rub his neck and shoulder blade.
“I thought I’d relieve you for a few minutes on the bridge before my meeting with
Kes,” she said, slipping behind him and rubbing her hands along his shoulder and
back. She felt him stiffen and then relax. Her touch did that to him, caused that
involuntary reaction. It still amazed her.
Chakotay took her hand, drew it to his lips and held it there against his mouth,
exhaling a sigh. “I’ve got Tomas and Jenkins from showing up here in a couple of
minutes. It will probably take a while. They’re at it again over the duty roster.”
She shook her head and gave a bemused shudder. “I don’t envy you that,” she told
him as the door chime sounded. “And I think that’s my cue to leave. Good luck.”
“See you tonight, Kathryn,” he said, dropping a kiss on her palm before releasing
her hand.
“See you tonight, Chakotay.”
An Ordinary Day 3 – Evening
Chakotay looked up from the desk as the door swished open and closed again
announcing Kathryn’s arrival. He was surrounded by data padds and set the one in
his hand aside to rise and greet her.
“Welcome home,” he said, nuzzling her temple. She looked tired and he rubbed
his hand along her shoulders. She relaxed into his embrace a moment and met his
kiss before they released.
“Long day?” he asked.
“I’ve had it,” she said, reaching up automatically to pull the pins from her hair.
“Never let a scientist run a meeting. We went on so long I never did get to Kes.
God, I need to get out of this uniform and these boots. You’re too far ahead of
me.”
Chakotay had changed into comfortable off-duty clothes hours ago – a soft woven
shirt, open at the neck, sleeves rolled up, and loose pants knotted at the waist. He
was barefoot as was his preference.
It was one of her favorite images of him – relaxed, strong, content.
“Eat first or bath?” he asked.
“I’m starving,” she called as she headed for the bedroom to change. “What’s that I
smell?”
“Chili. I didn’t think you could face leola root stew tonight and we really didn’t
have a good excuse to use replicator rations, so I talked Neelix into letting me try
my hand in his kitchen. It’s been in a stasis warmer.”
She stuck her head out from the bedroom, tugging her turtleneck up and over her
head. “Bless you. I’ll be just a minute.”
Chakotay spooned the chili into bowls and grabbed a basket containing Neelix’s
white grain bread which was edible, if not actually good.
He set the bowls and basket on the coffee table in front of the couch and went
back for spoons and napkins.
He looked up as she reentered the room, knotting the tie of her robe around her
waist. Her hair was loose and soft about her face. Her entire body language had
shifted – was looser, warmer, more inviting.
“You look like you feel better,” he grinned. “I thought we could just eat here.”
She dropped gracefully and gratefully onto the couch, tucked her robe beneath
her, and accepted the proffered bowl and spoon. “Suits me. How was your day?”
Chakotay sat on the floor, his back against the table, his legs stretched out, one
foot touching hers, just the barest contact.
“After the ops station got back on line, it was fairly quiet. It turns out it the
board’s been going bad for weeks.”
She nodded. “That explains the problems Harry was having with…mmm… this is
good.” The warm chili was just a little zesty, meatless and thick with vegetables.
“I may have to promote you to cook.”
“Here to serve, Captain,” he quipped.
“How did things resolve with Tomas and Jenkins?”
“They’ve agreed to disagree for the sake of harmony on the ship,” he told her with
a grin.
“In other words, you threatened to take their replicator rations if they didn’t figure
out a way to get along,” she said dryly. “Could I try some of that bread? It’s right
behind you on the table.”
He reached back to get the basket, stifling a groan at the motion, but she heard it
anyway.
“Your shoulder. I’d forgotten – I’m sorry,” she said, immediately concerned. She
leaned forward. “How is it?”
He managed a shrug. “I need to finish up that report, but then maybe I’ll take a
soak.”
The new hot tub was the one extravagance they had allowed themselves when
converting their two cabins into a single quarters. It had become both a playroom
and sanctuary.
“You could let the report go,” Janeway suggested. “I can’t believe your Captain is
that harsh a taskmaster.” Her eyes twinkled merrily. “I’ll bet I can even arrange
some time off for good behavior,” she added saucily.
“Maybe I could wait until tomorrow morning for the reports,” he said
thoughtfully.
“You do that and maybe I’ll give you some company in that tub.”
“You do that and I’ll do the dishes.”
“To hell with the dishes.”
Ordinary Day 4 – Nighttime
Chakotay gathered the stack of padds and moved them from the bed to the night
stand. It was past 0200 hours and he felt the weariness of the day wash over him.
He had finished the report after all, and gotten his soak, and the promised
company.
Kathryn lay beside him now in the bed, the sheet tucked part way up, her smooth
bare back and fine shoulders peeking out above it with just a hint of coral from
her nightgown. Her hair was a soft curtain over both.
She’d fallen asleep the moment they climbed into bed – a combination of the hot
tub, a back rub and just plain exhaustion after a long day.
He reached over and brushed a tendril of hair away from her neck, tracing its
elegant lines with one finger. She quivered slightly in her sleep, but did not wake.
His shoulder still ached, despite the soak and despite Kathryn’s tender
ministrations in the hot tub. He tried to roll it back, but learned immediately that
was a mistake. “Argh.” He swallowed a grunt of pain – almost. This woke her up.
Janeway rolled over and leaned up on one elbow. “Chakotay?”
“I guess my shoulder wasn’t quite as good as I thought,” he sighed ruefully. “I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”
“I was dreaming about science meetings,” she told him with a wry grin. “I think
I’ll wait a few minutes. Here…” She sat and nudged him to shift so she could
reach his back. He eased between her legs and leaned back while she worked the
knotted muscles.
“You tightened up again after the soak. Maybe you should put some heat on this
or call the doctor for a muscle relaxant.”
He closed his eyes, his breathing just a little uneven. “I like *this*,” he countered.
Her hands were warm and strong on his skin and he could feel the aching pain
drain away beneath them. His bare back brushed her skin, touched the silken
fabric of her nightgown.
He felt his entire body relax. She did that for him – just her touch, often just her
presence. It was amazing to him that he did the same for her.
She continued the rounding motion with her fingers, across the back and along his
shoulder, marveling at his well muscled body and the feel of it beneath her hands.
Just as her own breathing started to become uneven, she heard the soft regular
sound of his snoring.
She eased him against her body and down to the bed, pulling the covers up around
them both, and then found her regular place, tucked against his side, face to face,
one leg crooked slightly over his hip.
She pressed her lips to his temple, so near her face that she could feel his breath.
“Good night, Chakotay,” she whispered.
The barest hint of a smile touched his lips and his hand slid down the silky gown
to silky thigh, resting there, heavy and warm. “Goodnight, Kathryn.”
finis
end of series