The Great Voyager Pancake Race
It was a rather uneventful day in the delta quadrant. Captain Janeway was sitting in her ready room reading a rather dull report from Seven of Nine. Voyager was travelling through a particularly sparse region of space, they hadn't come across anything for at least 5 days and the crew was getting bored. The door chimed, "Come in." She called bidding whoever it was inside. The door opened,through it Janeway could hear the sound of Tom Paris and Harry Kim attempting to sing a duet of Living on a Prayer, Janeway smirked a little before looking up from the PADD at Chakotay, who had just entered,"Having fun?" She asked,"Someone really needs to delete his 20th century music collection." Chakotay replied shaking his head a little, "well it could be worse, they could be attempting a number from his 21st century music collection." Janeway said remembering yesterday when Tom had started singing Drop like an earthquake that then escalated to the point where the entire bridge crew had joined in and command team had taken refuge in the ready room to avoid listening to the worst of it.
Chakotay smirked. The door chimed again and Janeway bid whoever it was entry. Neelix entered with a PADD in hand. "Ah captain, commander I've been doing some research into human culture and I came across something known as pancake day, and I though that perhaps we could host a pancake race, to raise morale and also because pancake day is in three days ." He announced pitching his idea to the command team. "Well it certainly sounds like an excellent idea Neelix." Janeway said in response, "and we are nowhere near potentially hostile territory." Chakotay in toned. The command team shared a glance silently communicating. "Neelix start making the necessary preparations." Janeway said. "thank you captain,commander you won't be disappointed." Neelix said before he left to start work on the preparations for pancake day.
A day later Neelix had gotten permission to take sign ups for what he was calling The Great Voyager Pancake Race and to use the holodeck to create the traditional setting for the race. So far he had gotten over twenty sign ups including the captain and commander. He was currently preparing lunch for the crew when a voice called into his kitchen "hi Neelix,you said that you needed some help with programming a traditional pancake race setting." Tom Paris called. "Ooh yes." Neelix called bustling over to where he was standing. "I was wandering if you could help me program a traditional setting but with a twist?" Neelix asked. "Sure Neelix, why don't we head to the holodeck now, I have a couple of hours free before I'm due back on duty." Tom suggested. "That would be great." Neelix replied bouncing up and down a little. With that the two of them headed to the holodeck.
Two hours later Tom was being pestered by Harry, who was begging his friend to give him some clues about the twist he and Neelix had put into the program for pancake day. "Come on Tom, just a clue." Harry persisted. "Harry,Harry,Harry if I give any clues it would ruin the surprise." Tom answered his friend. Harry sighed and decided that it would be pointless trying to find out. He smirked at Tom when he glanced Janeway leaning close to Chakotay as they talked in hushed tones about something. Tom smirked and held up his hand and counting down. After three counts he and Tom burst into song. Soon the entire bridge crew including Janeway and Chakotay joined in whilst Tuvok looked at them all with distain, well as much distain as a vulcan could muster.
Two days later the entire crew was buzzing with excitement. Later that evening most of the crew except Tuvok, Seven and Vorik would be in the holodeck either participating in or watching the Great Voyager Pancake Race. Tuvok deemed it an illogical course of action to participate in such a "illogical event." And had opted to hold fort on the bridge. Like his fellow vulcan crewmate Vorik had decided to hold fort in engineering whilst B'elanna participated in the race. Seven had in turn deemed the race as an "inefficient use of ones time." And had later stated that "events such as this are irrelevant." And had decided to spend the evening regenerating in her alcove. Voyager's EMH had decided to join the festivities but only in case of a medical emergency.
The race was only two hours away and Captain Janeway was on her way to the holodeck dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants, a blue t-shirt and running shoes. "Good evening Kathryn." Chakotay greeted as he walked up behind her. "Evening Chakotay, ready to be beaten by your captain again." She said, smirking at him. "This time I think it's you who's going to be beaten this time, that was only a trial run." Chakotay replied with a smirk of his own. "What are you betting this time?" Kathryn asked one of her trademark half smiles gracing her features. "Well if I win I get to kiss the captain." He replied. "If I win you owe me dinner." Kathryn replied throwing in her own wager. "Your on." Chakotay replied. "What do you owe paris if he wins?" Kathryn asked jokingly."A weeks worth of replicator rations and two hours of holodeck time." Chakotay replied."and I'm guessing that he owes you a weeks worth of replicator ration." Kathryn responded. "Close, he owes me a weeks worth of replicator rations plus four hours of holodeck time." Chakotay replied. "He must be feeling confident." Kathryn laughed. The two of them arrived at the holodeck not expecting what was before them. A 100 meter long running track was laid out on a grassy field, railings were put up to stop the audience from spilling onto the track. A start post and finishing post was set up at opposite ends of the track and copious amounts of brightly coloured bunting was strung on the railings and posts. At the start post a long table covered with a white cloth was at the finish line and a long table with a matching cloth was at the start, except that there was a number of frying pans lined up on the table, which each contained a single pancake. "Neelix has outdone himself this time." Kathryn stated.
With the race less than half an hour away those participating in the race were lined up at the start line were warming up or practising their pancake flipping technique. Those not participating took a place behind the railings with their plastic cups full of a celebratory punch provided by Neelix. Half an hour became ten minuets and ten minuets became one. With the contestants lined up ready to go holding their pans Neelix stood at the start line with a small pink whistle whilst Naomi Wildman stood at the finish line behind the table. Before the announcement began Chakotay whispered to Janeway, "don't forget about our bet." Janeway levelled a mock death glare at him and took her position. Neelix spoke into a megaphone. "Hello everyone and welcome to the first Great Voyager Pancake race, will the contestants please take their places." He announced as everyone took their places on the line. "On your marks. Three two ,one." He continued before he blew the whistle loudly.
They were off , no sooner that the first ten meters B'elanna was the first to fall and several others had to swerve to avoid the net that had sprung out of the ground. So this is the surprise Tom had planned. Harry thought whilst he tried not to laugh as he heard B'elanna throw some colourful klingon metaphors at the back of Tom's head as he sped past her. But that was short lived though when he got caught in one of his own traps. By the time they had reached the 50 meter mark more than half of the contestants had fallen because of the booby traps. At 70 meters there was only four competitors left. Captain Janeway, Mike Ayala, Chakotay and Gerron.
With only twenty meters left Mike and Gerron fell one after the other after Mike fell victim to one of Tom's booby traps and caused Gerron to fall over him leaving Janeway and Chakotay to fight for victory. Just before Janeway reached the finish line one of Tom's perfectly placed booby traps caught her taking her down between spitting out mouthfuls of grass she cursed Tom using some choice colourful metaphors. Once he had put down the frying pan Chakotay went back to where Janeway was having problems untangling herself from the netting that Tom had decided to use as a suitable trap to give her a hand. As soon as he got close another one of Tom's booby traps sprang to life ensnaring him as well, unfortunately for Janeway this meant that he came crashing down on top of her.
"Well so much for coming to help." Chakotay joked pushing himself off Janeway. Janeway laughed and propped herself up on her elbows. "Well we know who to blame." She responded. "PARIS." They yelled in unison. Tom, B'elanna and Harry made their way over to their commanding officers who were tangled in one of Tom's booby traps. "you called" Tom said. "Deactivate these before, I bust you down to crewman." Janeway threatened levelling a death glare at him. Tom quickly deactivated the traps and stepped back as the duo picked themselves up off the grass.
After the initial celebration was over, Janeway and Chakotay walked back to her quarters together. Janeway keyed in her code and stepped inside Chakotay followed. "It seems that I won the bet and I have Tom to thank for that." He said. "So it..." Was all she could say before she felt Chakotay's lips descend on hers. This may not be so bad after all. She thought as she felt herself being drawn closer to his body.