Kathryn Janeway sat in the mess hall alone. It was yet another birthday away from her family-away from Earth. As she sat there looking out of the view port, she heard the open and close of the door behind her. She didn't have to look, she knew who it was. "So, this is where you have been hiding" came a familiar voice. She sighed, "I am not hiding Chakotay." She continued to look out of the view port. "Well, then what are you doing in here with the lights off, alone?" She laughed, "Well I don't feel like being wished a happy birthday over and over again." Chakotay walked over to the sofa, sat down next to her, and looked out the view port. "So, how long have you been here?" Kathryn looked over at him and then back out of the viewport. "I am not sure. Why did you come to track me down in the first place?" Chakotay shrugged, "I thought you might enjoy a little company. Being alone isn't a good way to spend your birthday." Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Today is no different from any other day, Chakotay." She leaned back as she sat there. "I don't want anything done for me. I appreciate it, but I just want to be left alone. As I said, it's just another day."
Chakotay sighed, "Every year you do this. And you know that the crew will eventually find you and you'll have dinner with the senior staff." Kathryn nodded, "I know, but I am the captain. So, I am always treated differently from everyone else. Then when this time of the year comes, everyone treats me even more differently and even though I don't mind it, it still isn't all that great." Chakotay laughed, "Kathryn, I think you need some sleep. You look tired and you are rambling." Kathryn shook her head, "I am not rambling, Chakotay! I am being serious." She yawned and took a sip of her coffee. "No, you look exhausted. You need sleep. Don't make me call the Doctor to come and get you!" Chakotay stood up and extended his hand, "Come on. I'll walk you to your quarters." Kathryn looked at him for a moment before finally taking his hand and standing up as well. "Fine, Chakotay." He smiled, showing his dimples fully in action. She couldn't help but smile herself. "Maybe after a good nap you'll be in a better mood for dinner." Kathryn looked at him, "I guess so. For your birthday, I am going to arrange a huge party in the holodeck and invite every crew member who is off duty! Or maybe I'll just give everyone R&R. That way we could all attend and have so much fun!" She was smiling almost sarcastically as they approached her quarters. Chakotay stood there for a moment with her. "Now you listen. Go in there, and don't do work. Just take a nap for goodness sakes! You need it! You haven't slept in quite sometime now, and I think these ideas that you are conjuring up in your mind are the affects of being sleep deprived. So, get in there and don't come out until you're well rested." She nodded, "Aye aye." She saluted him mockingly and then punched in her code and entered her quarters, leaving Chakotay in the corridor alone.
A -,-- A
About two and a half hours later, Kathryn walked out of her quarters and headed to the bridge. It was time for her to be on duty. Finally! She entered the turbolift. "Bridge," she ordered as she stood there. "Hold that lift!" Tom Paris ran toward the lift. "Computer, hold the lift," Kathryn ordered and watched as Tom ran into the lift, "Thanks Captain." Kathryn looked at him, "No problem. Computer, resume lift." Tom looked at her with a big smile. She looked back at him curiously. "What?" He just laughed a little and shook his head, "Oh, nothing." She looked at him a bit sternly this time. "Lieutenant..." He looked back more seriously, "Okay, okay! Happy Birthday, Captain." He said with a huge smile on his face. Kathryn just smiled politely, "Thank you, Tom." Tom arched an eyebrow, "Are you all right, Captain?" She nodded, "Yes, I'm fine." The turbolift doors slid open and both of them exited.
As Kathryn made her way to her seat next to Chakotay, she knew she would get an 'I told you so' look about needing a brief nap. Chakotay greeted her as she took her seat, "Hello, Kathryn." She looked at him and smiled, "Hello." And sure enough there it was. The look that she anticipated. She shook her head and asked for a report. "Everything is running at top efficiency," reported Ensign Harry Kim. Kathryn nodded, "Good to hear Ensign, I'd like to keep it that way." Kathryn leaned back in her seat and watched as most of her senior staff worked steadily at their consoles. She loved sitting on the bridge and observing other officers at work. She began to become lost in thought about first coming aboard Voyager. She remembered being given the tour by Admiral Patterson. Having already memorized the specs of the ship, she saw no need for the tour of the ship, but she accepted the Admiral's offer. She also remembered how she and Admiral Patterson had discussed her father that day and of the stories Patterson told her about when her father was much younger. How he would always talk of her while he worked. She knew when she got her four pips that her father was proud (even though he wasn't around to see it due to being deceased). She could feel it. Then, the realization began to sink in; this was another birthday without any of her family.
The beeping of a nearby console at a science station pulled her out of thought. The young crewman working the station got the beeping to stop, "A slight imbalance in the plasma injectors. Lieutenant Torres knows about it and is fixing it, Captain." Kathryn nodded, "Thank you crewman." She turned to Chakotay, "I'll be in my ready room if you need me. You've got the bridge, Commander." She stood up and walked into her ready room. Taking a seat at her desk with her coffee, she yawned slightly and began to work on some overdue reports.
A -,-- A
Chakotay sat on the quiet bridge and watched various officers cross the bridge every once and a while. He looked at Tom as he worked at the helm. Then he glanced at the ready room doors. 'Damn that woman,' he thought. 'It's her birthday and she is in that ready room, working, like every other day!' This year, her birthday would be just like every other one she has had. The senior staff will bombard her with invitations to dinner and then the whole senior staff would have dinner together in the mess hall. It was the same year after year and he knew that Kathryn knew that as well. He couldn't help but wonder about how she felt about those yearly dinners. She always seemed solemn on her birthday. He, himself, never made a deal out of his own birthday. But he would accept the wishes and gifts happily. He didn't hide away in his office doing work. He accepted that it was just one of those odd days where some things were different. He knew Kathryn wasn't like that though; she didn't like the extra attention. She would always spend most of the day in the ready room, reading reports and drinking coffee until someone would go in and get her for dinner. He felt sorry for his old friend for some reason. He wished she would just be happy, just once for her birthday that she would smile and enjoy the day, but he knew that she was putting an effort towards being nice to everyone about everything they did.
Some crewmen tried to give her gifts a couple years back, but they gave up after a while. He never really knew why. Chakotay always had and always will continue to give her a gift. No matter how much she said that she didn't deserve it. He heard the turbolift doors open behind him. He turned to look to see who had just arrived. It was Naomi Wildman. Chakotay watched the young girl as she stepped out of the turbolift and headed to the Captain's ready room. She was holding a small box and a piece of folded paper. He just smiled and returned to monitoring the bridge.
A -,-- A
Kathryn didn't look up from her PADD when the door chimed, "Come in." She heard the doors open and close as she continued to read the PADD in front of her. "Captain?" the young voice in front of her said quietly. Kathryn looked up and smiled some, "Naomi. What brings you here?" Kathryn noted the box and paper a bit perplexed. The young girl placed the box and folded paper onto one of the chairs that sat in front of Kathryn's desk and sat in the other. "I wanted to come to say happy birthday" Naomi said, and smiled to her Captain. Kathryn looked at her for a moment and smiled some, "Well, thank you Naomi. That was very kind of you." Naomi looked at Kathryn, "Captain? I have something for you." Kathryn arched a brow, "Oh? Well, you didn't have to." She smiled. Naomi placed the card and box in front of her, "Well, I wanted to. I am the captain's assistant. And Captain's Assistants get the captains gifts for their birthday, just like you do with me on my birthday." Kathryn Laughed, "I guess you are right."
Kathryn picked up the card and looked at the front. She smiled as she looked at the hand drawn picture. The picture was of a woman and a small girl. She assumed it was herself with Naomi. "That's me and you," Naomi pointed out as she looked at the picture, Kathryn continued to smile, "It's wonderful." Kathryn opened the card, and inside it said, 'I hope your birthday is as good as mine was! Naomi' Kathryn laughed some as she looked at the card. Naomi piped up again,"Do you like it?" Kathryn nodded, "I like it very much." Naomi grabbed the box and pushed it closer to Kathryn, "This is for you too!" She nodded as the young girl pushed the box towards her. "All right..." Naomi nodded, "Open it." Kathryn nodded as she removed the top of the grey box. Inside, there was a coffee mug. It was just like her everyday silver mug. She removed it from the box and noticed that there was writing on it. She looked at it a bit closer and read, "Galaxy's #1 Captain". Kathryn couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Thank you Naomi! I love it." Naomi smiled grew. "I'm glad! Tom helped me with putting the words on the mug!" Kathryn returned the smile, "Well you two out did yourselves this time! Thank you," Naomi nodded, "You're welcome Captain. Well I have to get back to my mother. She said I have ten minutes. I have homework to do!" Kathryn nodded, "All right then. Thank you again. I'll talk to you later," Naomi nodded and left her captain's ready room.
A -.-- A
When Naomi walked back onto the Bridge she rushed over to Tom and spoke quietly. "She really liked it. Thank you for your help, Tom." Tom just nodded and smiled, "I'm glad I was able to." Naomi went to the turbolift and left the bridge crew with a couple questions. What could have the young crewman given the captain. Chakotay watched as she left. He'd find out sooner or later. He looked at Tom with a slight look of question on his face, but all he got in response was a smile. Chakotay began to wonder, 'Was Kathryn serious about what she said?' He thought to himself as he sat there. Chakotay shook his head and went back to getting his work done.
Harry stood at his station. He already had what he was going to give the Captain for her birthday. He usually didn't get her anything, but this year was different. He knew the Captain liked Mozart, so he had put together a nice recording with Voyager's small band. He hoped that she would appreciate it. He knew that Tom had helped Naomi with the coffee mug for the captain. Naomi came to his quarters to showcase it to him before he went on duty. He liked the idea. He knew that the Captain didn't want to make a scene about today. She didn't care. And as long as they were all on that ship, she never would care. He didn't blame her. He hated his birthday too. He hated when people would find out and then think they needed to get him something. He thought maybe that was the reason the Captain's spends every May 20th in hiding. What ever her reasons, she was Captain. She did what she pleased.
A -,-- A
Later in the evening, Kathryn was still in her ready room, doing her work. The door chimed, "Come in." She didn't look up from her work. The sound of the doors opening and closing filled the room. "Well, it's time for dinner with everyone." Kathryn sighed, "I am busy. I'll be there in a little while." Chakotay shook his head, "No, you are leaving with me. Come on." He walked over to her and snatched the PADD she was reading from her hand, "Hey!" Kathryn stood up and looked at him sternly. "Chakotay, give me that." He just shook his head, "No." Kathryn glared at him, "Commander!" Chakotay threw the PADD onto the coffee table, "Listen, you only have to do this once a year. Now, come and have dinner with everyone, all right?" She stood there for a moment and looked at him. Chakotay watched her, "Come on." Kathryn nodded some as she walked towards him, "Fine." With that, they both headed to the mess hall to meet up with the other senior staff members for dinner.
A -,-- A
When Kathryn and Chakotay arrived to the mess hall, everything looked exactly as it had on her last birthday, and the year before that, and the year before that. She was getting a bit tired of the same old thing. When she joined Starfleet, she didn't want anything to be the same for a long period of time. But then again, she didn't expect to be where she was today. Kathryn shook the thought off and took a seat at the long table with all her friends and co-workers.
A -,-- A
After about three hours of eating and talking, everyone had to either report to duty or go get some sleep. Chakotay offered to escort Kathryn back to her quarters. "Chakotay, you don't have to." He just smiled, "I insist." She sigh some, "Very well then. Chakotay walked with her down the corridors towards her quarters, "You see? It wasn't all that bad. Now, was it? You survived the night." Kathryn nodded, "I survived yet another birthday." He nodded, "Yes...and you will have to survive many, many more. Understood?" Kathryn laughed, "Yes, sir" Chakotay smiled, "And besides, you weren't bombarded with any odd gifts from Neelix this year." She nodded, "Yes, you're right, okay?"
Chakotay and Kathryn walk up to her doors. She smiled as she punched her code in and the doors slide open. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Chakotay nodded, "Yeah." Kathryn turned to enter her quarters then suddenly she stopped and turned towards Chakotay. "Chakotay?" he turned toward her. "Yes?" She smiled as she walked up to him and gently placed a kiss on his lips, "Thank you." Chakotay smiled, "You're welcome. Now, go get some sleep, Kathryn." With that, she nodded and went into her quarters. She smiled talking to herself, "Now, that is what I call a good ending to my birthday."
The End