Star Trek Voyager characters are the property of Paramount Pictures.
A KISS TO REMEMBER
PART ONE
"Captain," Neelix said as he barged into her ready room, "I know you're really busy today, and I won't take up much of your time, but I simply must talk to you about a wonderful idea in my head."
"Then take a seat, Mr Neelix," Kathryn replied. "I'll spare you five minutes."
The Talaxian smiled. "All I need, Captain, all I need. Now, as you know, the day after tomorrow is Valentine's Day. After six years in space we have a lot of lovers on this ship and I think we should do something to celebrate."
"And no doubt this something is the wonderful idea in your head."
"It is. I think we should have a kissing contest."
Kathryn almost choked on the coffee she was drinking. "A what? Are you serious?"
"Hear me out, Captain. Holodeck time is very hard to get these days, at least in any quantity, and I've seen folks have punch-ups over who gets a turn."
"This is the first I've heard of it."
"Not everything that happens on this ship reaches your ears, Captain. But anyway, as I was saying, holodeck time is very hard to get so our poor Voyager lovers haven't had a romantic getaway in six years. So, I was thinking, we could have a kissing contest on Valentine's Day and the prize for the winning couple would be a romantic weekend on the holodeck."
"I like your prize," Kathryn said, "but not the kissing. Rethink the challenge and I'll consider the contest."
"Oh, but it will be fun, Captain! We would put the names of all participating couples into a hat, pick out three, and then hold the kissing contest. At the end of the day, the couple that has kissed the most gets the prize."
"And how exactly would that be judged, Mr Neelix? No couple wants to kiss in front of prying eyes."
"Captain, that is not what I mean at all! No, no. What do you think I am? No, they would kiss in private, like lovers do, but their kisses would be recorded by a kissocord."
"A what?"
"A device that records the number of times a couple kiss. On the mouth, that is. Haven't you heard of it, Captain?"
"No, I have not."
"Well, now you have. So, what do you say, Captain? Shall I announce it on my show tomorrow?"
"I don't know, Neelix. Give me time to think about it."
"What is there to think about? Come on, Captain. It's Valentine's Day. The day of kisses, hearts and flowers. Let us have some fun. There hasn't been much of it lately."
"I'll tell you what, Neelix. You run the idea past Commander Chakotay and Commander Tuvok. If they agree to it, so will I."
"Oh, thank you, Captain. Thank you. I'll go and ask them right now and will tell you what they say!"
With that he got up and hurried out of the room.
Half an hour later, he was back.
"Great news, Captain," he beamed. "Command Chakotay and Commander Tuvok are all for it!"
"Really?"
"Tom Paris too. In fact, he's going to put his and B'Elanna's name into the hat."
"With her consent, I hope. Valentine's Day is about celebrating love, not breaking people up."
"Oh there'll be plenty of celebrations, Captain. Plenty! So, do we have a kissing contest?"
"It looks like we do."
Neelix rubbed his hands together in joy. "Oh, fantastic, Captain. Fantastic!"
News of the Kissing Contest was ship-wide long before Neelix's broadcast. By the time he made it, a number of couples had already entered their names into the hat and more did so during the day.
"We now have at least 30 entries," Neelix said proudly as he served Kathryn and Chakotay lunch in the mess hall. "Isn't that wonderful, Captain?"
"I guess so," she replied.
"Didn't I tell you everyone would love the idea? Wasn't I right?"
"As always, Neelix."
The Talaxian smiled and then went on his way. As he did, Chakotay spoke.
"Thirty is a lot of couples. I didn't know we have that many onboard."
"Neither did I. But I wouldn't be surprised if some of the entries are jokes."
"Tuvok and Seven?"
"Exactly. Probably courtesy of Tom Paris or some other such prankster."
Chakotay took a sip of water. "Will you be at the event tomorrow?"
"I think I should be. I did agree to it. I should seem to give it my approval." She smiled. "And I'm kind of warming to the idea. A bit of lighthearted fun never did any harm."
"Good to hear you say it."
He smiled warmly and Kathryn smiled in return.
The mess hall was decorated with hearts and flowers when Kathryn arrived there on Valentine's Day for the first half of the contest. It was packed with people, all talking excitedly in front of a red heart stage, and there was a huge breakfast buffet that included heart-shaped pancakes, eggs and toast. Some of Voyager's more serious crew-members, like Seven and most Vulcans, were either absent or taking care of the ship, but the size of the crowd convinced Kathryn that she'd been right to give the contest the go-ahead.
"Oh Captain, Captain," Neelix beamed when he saw her. "I'm so glad you're here. If you didn't turn up soon, I was going to come and get you."
"Then I saved you the effort," she smiled.
"What do you think, Captain? Isn't everything wonderful? I've been up all night getting things ready! Of course, I can't take all the credit, The Doctor helped. In fact, he put the stage together all by himself. Isn't he strong?"
"Of course, Neelix. He's a hologram."
"Nevertheless, I am so impressed. I couldn't lift even one panel! Now, I'd love to chat but things are getting behind schedule and we must get on with the show. So, sit yourself down by Commander Chakotay in the front and we'll get to the fun!"
Kathryn made her way through the throng to the front, smiling at her crewmembers as they parted way for her, and then duly sat beside Chakotay. He was in uniform, like her, and was eating a pancake.
"Hi," he smiled. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."
"There was a problem with sensors," she said. "But it's sorted now."
Tom, who was sitting beside B'Elanna, spoke. "So, Captain? Any chance we'll see your name coming out of the hat?"
Kathryn laughed while B'Elanna slapped his arm.
"If we do, Mr Paris, I'm looking right now at the jokester who put it there."
Music suddenly filled the room, an upbeat romantic concerto, and Neelix climbed onto the stage.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he said, addressing the crowd. "It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to our very first Voyager's Valentine's Kissing Contest. As there is no one here who doesn't know what it is about, I won't waste my breath, and your time, telling you. We'll get straight to the excitement! After all, the sooner we're finished, the sooner the kissing can start! Mr Kim, bring in the hat!"
Harry stepped onto the stage with a huge red hat and the sight of it made the crowd laugh.
"What's so funny?" Neelix asked. "Isn't a hat a hat?"
Tom clarified. "Names out of a hat is just a saying, Neelix. They're not literally pulled out of a hat."
"Really? Why didn't someone say so? I'd have pulled them out of a heart! Well, it's too late now!" He turned to Harry. "Mr Kim, drum roll."
Harry beat a drum while Neelix rolled up his sleeves.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he said when he was done, "I will now pick out the first couple. Good luck, everyone!"
As the drum beat, he put his hand into the hat, dug deep, and then pulled out a red piece of paper. He waved it over his head and then slowly opened it.
"I am pleased to announce," he smiled, "that our first couple is Megan Delaney and Jeff Lewis."
The crowd cheered and Neelix beckoned them on stage. They came, hand in hand, and Neelix picked up two small silver devices from a little table behind him.
"Congratulations, Lieutenants," he said. "These are your kissocords." He gently pressed them against their necks. "We all wish you the best of luck!"
Neelix then returned to the hat and picked out another paper. This time the lucky couple was newly weds Tal Celes and William Telfer.
The crowd cheered again as they took to the stage and, after congratulating them, Neelix fitted them with kissocords. Tal Celes blushed crimson but otherwise seemed pleased enough.
"And now for our third couple," he said, dipping his hand into the hat. "Drum roll, Mr Kim!"
The drum beat again and Neelix dipped his hand into the hat. Out came another paper and he read the names on it.
"Our very own Captain and First Officer, Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay."
At this, the room buzzed.
"Very amusing, Neelix," Kathryn said. "Try again."
"But I can't," he answered.
"Why not?"
"Because...because it would be bad luck."
"Nonsense. Try again."
"I simply refuse to, Captain. You may not believe it is bad luck to go against the Fates, but I do. I will not bring bad luck upon this ship. The Fates have chosen you and Commander Chakotay as the third couple and we must honor that."
"Very well," Kathryn replied, not wanting to mar the occasion with a scene. "Commander Chakotay and I will be your third couple. But don't expect any kissing."
"Oh, but you must kiss at least once, Captain," Neelix answered. "If you don't then you are dishonoring the Fates."
Tom spoke now. "He's right, Captain. You can't enter a kissing contest with the most handsome man on the ship and not kiss him at least once."
A few people in the audience shouted "here, here!"
Kathryn looked around and then smiled. "Looks like I'm outnumbered."
"You certainly are," Neelix declared. "So, come on stage, you two, and get your kissocords."
"On once condition," Kathryn said.
"Just name it, Captain."
"There is no public kiss count. You declare the winner only."
"A fair compromise. So, Captain and Commander, get yourselves up here!"
Kathryn stood up, as did Chakotay, and together they stepped onto the stage. The crowd clapped and whistled and Neelix triumphantly fixed a kissocord to their necks.
"Congratulations, Captain and Commander," he smiled. "Happy kissing."
The second part of the contest, which was the results and prize-giving, was to be held at 21:00 hours in the mess hall. It was now 19:00 hours and, after a long day in her ready room, Kathryn was relaxing to classical music in her quarters. On a table before her was a bottle of synthesol wine and she topped up her glass as she picked up a book to read. But just as she was about to curl up with her novel, the door chime played. Kathryn sighed.
"Come in!"
The doors to her quarters opened and Neelix came in.
"Captain," he said urgently. "What is the meaning of this?"
Kathryn put down her book. "The meaning of what?"
"You being here and Chakotay somewhere else. You're supposed to be kissing!"
"The contest was for lovers, Neelix. We're not lovers."
"But you promised you would kiss him at least once and you haven't kissed him at all!" To his mortification, he saw that her kissocord was discarded on the table. "And you're not even wearing your kissocord! Captain!"
Kathryn picked it up and put it on. "Happy?"
"No," he cried. "No, I am not happy. You're not taking any of this seriously! Do you want to bring bad luck on this ship? Do you? Because right now you're dooming us all to a fate worse than assimilation! You must kiss Commander Chakotay!"
Kathryn got to her feet and faced him. "What I must do is tell you what I think. And what I think is that this whole contest is rigged!"
Neelix flinched. "I...I don't know what you mean."
"I think you do. Someone put mine and Chakotay's names into that hat, someone who wanted them to come out, and I think that someone was you."
"Captain...I...I'm offended. Why would I do such a thing?"
"You tell me."
"If I could I would but I didn't. It wasn't me. I just pulled your names out."
"So, a handwriting test on that paper won't identify you as the author?"
Neelix swallowed. "A handwriting test?"
"It's 99.9% accurate."
"But..." He sighed in defeat. "Oh, okay then, Captain, I admit it. I put your names in. But only because I was trying to help. I know you and the Commander have feelings for each other and I thought this would be the perfect way to get you together. Just one kiss and you'd know that you love each other. And believe me, Captain, I've put a lot of thought and effort into this."
"Then you've wasted your time," Kathryn said firmly, but not unkindly. "Yes, the Commander and I have feelings for each other, I won't deny that, but as long as we are Captain and First Officer of this ship a relationship between us is out of the question."
"But why?"
"Because it would compromise the command structure."
"I don't see how. Others manage to combine a professional and personal relationship."
"They are not Captain and First Officer."
"What difference does that make?"
"Every difference. We are an alone ship thousands of light years from home in unknown, unchartered, space. I have an entire crew depending on me not just get them home but for survival. I have to be focused every single moment of every single day. A romantic relationship would be a distraction."
"But it seems so unfair that you have to be alone. And unfair to the Commander too. He really loves you, Captain. I've seen it in his eyes."
"We may get home soon, Neelix. And then...who knows."
"But what if you don't get home soon, Captain? What if you spend the rest of your life on this ship?"
"Then the status quo will be the status quo."
"But it seems like such a tragic waste of love."
These words, and the way Neelix said them, brought tears to her eyes. "I appreciate your opinion, Neelix," she said sadly, "and I appreciate your concern for my and Chakotay's happiness, but a relationship between us is impossible."
Gently, Neelix put his hand on her shoulder. "I hope you'll change your mind someday, Captain. But a promise is a promise. You and the Commander owe us a kiss. So, go find him and kiss him. After all, it is a special day."
At this, Kathryn couldn't help but smile. "Far be it from me to start breaking promises. I'll go find him."
"He's in his quarters."
Kathryn laughed softly. "You beat all, Neelix."
She then put her hand to his cheek and left the room.
"Hi," Chakotay said when he opened his door to find Kathryn there. "Come in."
Like her, he was in uniform but jacketless, and Kathryn noticed that his kissocord was still on his neck.
"I hope I'm not interrupting you," she said as she stepped into his homely, candlelit quarters.
"Not at all," he smiled. "I'm just relaxing to music."
"Me too. Or at least I was until Mr Neelix came calling."
"Let me guess. He says our kiss count is zero and we must do something about it."
Kathryn smiled. "Got it in one."
"So, shall we?"
"Why do you think I'm here?"
Chakotay laughed and then gently took her hands in his.
"I love you, Kathryn. I know you know that. And I believe you love me."
"I do, Chakotay. But as Captain of this ship I..."
Chakotay silenced her with a finger on the lips.
"I understand, Kathryn. There are some barriers we can never cross." Tenderly, he brushed his fingers against her cheek. "But those barriers might not always be there. Someday, there may be a time for us. But if there isn't, if time is always against us, at least we will have this moment, this memory. So, let's forget about the contest and the kissocords and just enjoy the moment. It's one I've dreamt of for so long and one I want to cherish forever."
A tear ran down Kathryn's cheek. "Me too."
They gazed deep into each others eyes, and then Chakotay reverently lowered his lips to hers in a tender kiss. Kathryn kissed him back and as the kiss deepened their arms wrapped around each other. They kissed long, kissing with the passion of the first and the last time, and then they drew apart.
"You know," Kathryn smiled through tears. "I bet that made the Doctor's monitor bleep."
"Yes," Chakotay laughed. "I bet it did."
"Shall we set it off again?"
Chakotay nodded. "Let's."
Eagerly, but tenderly, their lips met again and they surrendered to another kiss.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Neelix said from the stage as he opened the second and final half of the contest. "Welcome back to Voyager's Valentine's Kissing Contest! I'm sure all you lovers, young and not so young, have had a delightful Valentine's Day, not least because of all the wonderful dishes I've cooked to celebrate, and the fun isn't over yet! No indeed! For now we come to the moment you have all been waiting for, the winning announcement. So, without further ado, here it goes." He turned to Harry Kim. "Mr Kim, drum roll please!"
The drum began to beat.
"I, Neelix of the starship Voyager, happily declare that the winners of the first Voyager's Valentine's Kissing Contest are...Tal Celes and William Telfer!"
The crowd cheered wildly and the happy couple stepped onto the stage. Tal Celes was blushing again, but was clearly delighted to have won.
"Here you are are," Neelix said, presenting them with a gold envelope. "Your grand prize. A romantic weekend on the holodeck. Enjoy!"
The crowd applauded again and the couple bowed before leaving the stage.
"That's all from this year's Voyager's Valentine's Kissing Contest," Neelix declared. "Have a great evening all and Happy Valentine's Day!"
Now the show was over, the standing crowd broke up into groups and chatter filled the air. As the winning couple stepped off the stage, Kathryn, who was standing with Chakotay, congratulated them.
"Congratulations, crewmen."
"Thank you, Captain," Tal Celes smiled. "I guess I'm good at something after all."
Kathryn laughed and was about to reply when Tom pounced up on them.
"Congratulations, Tal and Will! Who says marriage kills romance? Have a wild weekend. You deserve it!" He then put his hands on Kathryn's and Chakotay's shoulders. "Commiserations, Captain and Commander. Better luck next year!"
Kathryn poked his stomach. "Don't you even think of a repeat peformance."
Tom laughed. "I swear, Captain, it wasn't me who put you in. My only offence was to put me and B'Elanna in five times."
B'Elanna, who was beside him, thumped his arm. "Cheater."
"I wonder who did put you in," Tal Celes said. "Did you find out?"
"I doubt whoever it was will admit it," Tom declared. "But no harm done, eh, Captain?"
"So," B'Elanna said, "tell us. Did you guys kiss?"
Kathryn smiled. "That's for us to know and The Doctor's monitor to tell." She then put her hand on the half-Klingon's shoulder. "But let's just say, it's been a very memorable Valentine's Day."
B'Elanna beamed a smile and then Kathryn left. Chakotay followed her and they walked into the corridor together.
"I think we're going to be the talk of the ship for a while," Chakotay said as they made their way to the lift.
"I think we've been the talk of the ship since forever," Kathryn replied. "In fact, I bet there's a bet on us."
Chakotay smiled. "Will they or won't they?"
"And have they or haven't they? After all, what great ones do the less will prattle of."
"Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 2."
"Impressive. You really know your Shakespeare."
"And so will everyone when The Doctor is done. He's planning a production of MacBeth."
"Really? He fancies himself as an actor now?"
"It's an operatic version."
"Ah, I see. That's more like it."
"He thinks it's going to be a ship stopper, so is keeping it quiet so as not to cause a stampede for tickets. He plans to limit his audience to twenty-five a night so he can run if for a week."
"Oh my, poor Doctor. He'll be lucky to get twenty-five in all."
"I know. But he can count on us, can't he?"
"Yes," Kathryn smiled, turning to him. "He can count on us." She then fell serious and put her hand on his arm. "And so can we."
Their eyes locked, a bittersweet love reflecting in both, and then, arm in arm, they continued their walk.
END OF PART ONE