Chapter One

Captain's Log, Stardate 52788.22:

We have entered orbit around the planet Yamato. The inhabitants have graciously invited us for shore leave, and we are extremely grateful for their hospitality. We greatly needed this break as Voyager is desperately low on supplies and materials to make repairs.

The planet itself resembles, in our humble relief flight controller's opinion, Japan, at least in her time. The difference being that this civilization is warp-capable, of course. She is squirming in her seat as I speak, so I'd better get shore leave going before she explodes.

"End log," Kathryn said as she closed her log.

"Hey Captain, I resent that comment..." Allucia tittered from the helm, giggling. Then she squirmed a bit, feeling Kathryn's eyes boring into the back of her skull.

Chakotay spoke up. "You also resemble it," he added, good-naturedly.

"Actually, you aren't humble, you're a loud mouth," Harry added from Ops.

Allucia grinned. "You're all against me..." she muttered, just loud enough for the Bridge crew to hear.

Kathryn cleared her throat. "Alpha Shift is officially over. Those of you who have booked shore leave are free to disembark." she said, her eyes on the ensign at helm.

"Yes ma'am!" Allucia and Harry piped up at the same time, and simultaneously exited the Bridge as they called parting words to other personnel on the Bridge.

Kathryn put a hand to her head. "Ack! 'Yes ma'am' in surround sound! Oh, me." All Chakotay could do in reply was laugh.

Harry and Allucia beamed down together, as they were meeting Tom and B'Elanna for dinner and happened to be staying at the same hotel. They materialized in a bustling square, holding their bags. "Our hotel is right over there," Harry said, motioning with his bag to a large white building that was about five stories tall. Allucia nodded and picked both of hers up.

"Here, let me get that for you," Harry volunteered, taking the heavier bag from her. "Geez, why do women always pack so much?" he said, laughing nervously.

"Um, okay." Allucia said, and frowned for a moment. "I like to have lots of choices for outfits. And my makeup."

"Lemme guess. The makeup is in the bag I'm holding."

"Nope, it's in my bag." Allucia grinned. "Besides, I don't wear as much makeup as I used to, especially since humanity managed to cure acne since I left the 21st century behind."

"Thank goodness for that," Harry said. In reply, the pilot elbowed Harry hard in the side, making him nearly fall over. "What did I do?" he asked.

Allucia rolled her eyes as they entered the hotel. "Forget it."

The two walked up to the front desk. "Reservations for Harry Kim and Allucia Banks," Harry said.

The attendant behind the desk, a pale skinny teenage boy with dark circles around his eyes, bowed deeply. Allucia caught the attendant leering at her, and more specifically, at her chest. She scowled back to scare him, but he only chortled in response. "Welcome to our town of Nerima. You two have rooms 547 and 548," he said, handing them keycards. "It is on the fifth floor."

"Thank you," Harry said, and both he and Allucia returned the bow.

They took an elevator to the top floor of the hotel, and from there to their respective rooms. Allucia was unpacking when there was a knock at her door. "Come in, Harry."

The ensign entered upon the invitation. "How did you know it was me?"

Allucia sighed. "Only the Captain and the Doc knows this so far, but I'm a full empath now, thanks to the wormhole that brought me here. I have the capabilities of a Betazoid. And then some," she said, cryptically. "I just don't know how to use them yet, so I can really only sense strong emotions."

At this, Harry flushed. "Uh... so you... um... know what I'm thinking?" That made him really uneasy, if Allucia knew why he had come.

The young pilot shook her head. "No, only if I tried to read your mind, which I wouldn't do without your permission. Which I'm not sure I could do anyway." She shook her head. "I'm too busy trying to keep everyone else out of my brain." The operations officer let out a loud, relieved sigh. Allucia did however, notice how worried and nervous he was. "Harry, what is it? Sit down before you pass out."

He took the invitation, and sat down on the end of her bed. "I guess I'll just blurt it out," he sighed.

Allucia raised an eyebrow and upon feeling a twinge of edginess, quickly clamped down on her emotions. "Go ahead," she said, having a feeling she knew what was coming... the operations officer had a reputation for wearing his heart on his sleeve.

Harry sighed again. "Well... the past three years you've been on Voyager... getting to know you and all, as a good friend... well... Lusha, I've really fallen for you. Like how I used to like Seven." Allucia showed no reaction to his words. Harry silently cursed her Suus Mahna training. "Please say something," Harry pleaded.

"I honestly don't know what to say," she replied evenly, closing her eyes. "You've taken me totally off-guard. I certainly wasn't expecting this." My god, you are so fucking predictable.

"Say you'll have dinner with me, just me?" Harry asked, nervousness evident in his voice and a meek smile on his face. "I'm sure Tom and B'Elanna won't mind having some time to themselves."

Allucia took a deep breath, and slowly let it out, resisting the urge to bite her lip. For being a few years older on me, he's really immature in this department. She really didn't want to spend the evening with him, she wasn't even attracted to the ensign in the slightest. But at the same time, she did not want to be mean; being rude as she often was one thing but being mean was another. I guess one date can't hurt... after that, I'll let him down as easily as I can.

Tom and B'Elanna were having a midday snack at a sidewalk cafe, glad to have each other to themselves and finally on a real shore leave instead of the holodeck... when B'Elanna suddenly focused on a sight behind Tom, as she and her beau were sitting across the table from each other. "By Kahless..." she said, trailing off as her jaw dropped, as she recognized the Starfleet couple walking towards them. A couple in itself was fine. It was the two people who comprised the couple.

"Bella, what?" B'Elanna nodded to the duo walking down the sidewalk. Tom turned around. "Wow. I didn't think he would actually do it." It's not like I didn't warn him...

Allucia and Harry were walking down to the cafe, hand in hand. They were about to walk by the pilot and engineer when B'Elanna called out. "Hey Starfleet!"

Harry jumped slightly, startled, then turned around. Allucia smiled wanly and waved nervously. "Uh, hi Tom, B'Elanna. I'm glad we caught you. Lusha and I won't be joining you for dinner... is that okay?"

"Uh... sure, Harry..." answered Tom, glancing between the two ensigns skeptically.

"I have to go to the ladies' room," B'Elanna suddenly said, looking at Allucia.

"Uh, me too," Allucia replied, picking up on B'Elanna's silent request. The women disappeared into the restaurant.

"Girl talk. Figures." Tom merely smirked at Harry. "So, you finally told her?"

"Yeah—caught her totally off-guard."

"And you didn't get decked."

Harry had to grin at that. "At least not yet."

Tom shook his head. "You shouldn't say that. You could jinx yourself." But he knew his warnings were falling on deaf ears. Harry had a penchant for learning things the hard way.

Meanwhile, in the ladies' room, Allucia wanted to tear her hair out. B'Elanna had to physically restrain the ensign from smashing her head into the wall. "Lusha, what is it?" the half-Klingon asked, holding her friend by the forearms.

"'Lanna... I know Harry is our friend and all... but he is driving me up a wall. I can't quite put my finger just what is pissing me off... but he just grates on my nerves as a date." The pilot seemed to relax with this admission, and the engineer relaxed her grip on her. "I like him as a friend... but no more than that."

B'Elanna sighed. "Lusha... you're both my friends... I know you're having a hard time tolerating him, but at least see the day through to its end with him, okay? At least then he'll never be able to say you ditched him."

Allucia smiled, and reached out to hug the other. "Thanks, 'Lanna. I'll do my best."

The engineer put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Not a problem. Now what do you say we get back out there before the men start wondering what's happened to us."