Sterndrive: A propeller drive system similar to the lower part of an outboard motor extending below the hull of a larger power boat or yacht, but driven by an engine mounted within the hull. Unlike a fixed propeller (but like an outboard), the boat may be steered by twisting the drive.


After that first defining meeting, a month and a half passed before Tom saw Kathryn again. Their fathers had both been disappointed and angry at them for sneaking off without a word. It helped to cover the worry they'd felt at the thought of their children wondering alone at night.

Kathryn had been almost sick in the face of her father's upset, but she'd squeezed Tom's shoulder supportively before she left.

"Be strong, Nemo," she whispered and hurried after her father.

In the wake of her belief in him, Tom had squared his shoulders and met his punishment defiantly head-on. His mother must have told the captain about Pierre, though, because the man wasn't as harsh as he tended to be. Still, Tom had a suspicion that not seeing Kathryn was part of the punishment.

The upcoming Starfleet graduation and celebration was met with considerably more cheer than normal for the boy. Unless her father was away, Kathryn would be there. It was always a big to-do with races and food and high spirits after the actual ceremony.

Mrs. Paris chuckled at his restlessness and let him run off as soon as the mandatory meet and greet was done. To his disappointment, Kathryn was nowhere to be found. Feeling slightly dejected, Tom walked to the lagoon's edge, fingering the sails of the sailboat he'd built. Every year there was a toy boat race and he'd spent an inordinate amount of time perfecting the USS Jules. He'd hoped Kathryn would be impressed.

A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his musings.

"That's a fine ship you have there, Nemo," a gently teasing voice praised.

Spinning around, Tom was pleased to find Kathryn smiling at him. Returning the expression, he felt the tension in his body ease. Proudly, he held out the ship for her to examine. Taking it with the appropriate amount of care, she looked it over from bow to stern with a critical eye.

"A fine ship," she pronounced again, returning it. "Permission to come aboard, Captain?"

"Permission granted, Commander Kit-Kat," he beamed.

Her brow furrowed as her hands settled on her hips. "Kit-Kat?"

"Yep," he said cheekily, "'Kathryn' is too long. On my ship, everyone has easy names."

"How is 'Kit-Kat' easier than 'Kathryn'?" she demanded as she followed him to the edge of the water.

But, caught up in the pre-race preparations, she forgot her arguments and helped her friend (albet several years younger friend) line up his ship.

Neither one saw their parents watching them speculatively.

"How old is Kathryn?" Mrs. Paris asked Gretchen Janeway.

The older woman smiled. "Thirteen. It's good to see her playing with other children. She's so serious and Phoebe has completely different interests."

The youngest Janeway was shoving another girl into a chair so she could do her own version of face painting. It didn't seem to matter what the other girl thought about it, either.

Gretchen sighed and shook her head as she barked a short command to let the girl go. Phoebe pouted, but snatched up the paint to start on herself.

"Yes, they have very little in common," she reiterated.

Mrs. Paris smiled and sipped her lemonade. "Tom is a solitary child himself. We move around quite a bit with Owen. It's hard on him."

Their eyes drifted back to the giggling children who had rolled up their pants and were in the water.

"On your mark, Cap'n," Kathryn said rather pompously.

"Steady," Tom cautioned as the other children waited for the race to begin with their own boats.

The signal was given, but Tom waited until his sails had billowed fully before calling for release. Their ship sped beautifully passed the others as Kathryn excitedly cheered it on, her hand on his shoulder.

"She's a flagship, if I ever saw one," Tom whispered.

Kathryn's smile was a brilliant, treasured thing. "Aye, but it's the captain that makes the ship."

"Doesn't hurt to have a stellar helmsman," he replied right before splashing her rather spectacularly.

Shrieking, she retaliated and it rapidly deteriorated into an all out water battle. The sound of laughter drifted gleefully to their mothers, lighting their eyes with knowing amusement.


AN: Short and sweet-like a fun-size Milky Way.